Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Izanami! (4/5)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shisui uses Kotoamatsukami on Riu, expecting the powerful genjutsu to incapacitate him. However, Riu has deliberately remained still and exploited Shisui’s confidence.
• Riu activates Izanagi, allowing him to ignore the attack and gouge out Shisui’s right eye. He reveals that his version of Izanagi can provide nearly an hour of invulnerability, far exceeding Danzo’s.
• Shisui retreats using the Body Flicker Technique, but Riu tracks him through a Kamui mark. Their battle escalates as both repeatedly use eye-based techniques, illusions, and sword attacks.
• Shisui realizes that Riu’s three hand seals are connected to Izanagi and activates Izanagi through his remaining left eye before Riu can take it. As a result, the eye is destroyed and becomes impossible for Riu to obtain.
• Riu voluntarily cancels his own Izanagi, confusing Shisui. He claims that, since he cannot take Shisui’s second eye, he wants to “preserve” Shisui’s talent.
• Riu enters Stillness Sage Mode and repeatedly gouges out Shisui’s left eye, attacks him, and attempts to absorb him into a space-time dimension. Shisui’s Izanagi reverses each event, causing the battle to repeat endlessly.
• After an enormous number of repetitions, Riu reveals that he has activated Izanami, the technique opposed to Izanagi. Izanami traps Shisui in an endless loop until he recognizes and accepts his true self.
• Riu argues that Shisui has changed since witnessing the Uchiha massacre and intends to use Izanami to restore his “original self.” Shisui rejects this, insisting that he has remained true to his beliefs, but his repeated failure causes him to mentally collapse.

Character Developments

• Riu demonstrates careful planning, superior knowledge of ocular techniques, and a willingness to manipulate rather than simply overpower Shisui. Though ruthless, he shows concern for Shisui’s potential and claims to want to save him from his altered state.
• Shisui is revealed to be deeply traumatized by the Uchiha clan’s destruction. He believes peace requires sacrifice and insists that his independent path is justified, but his desperation and emotional instability suggest that the massacre has changed him.
• Shisui’s determination becomes increasingly rigid. His repeated statement that he “only believes in himself” reflects both his resolve and his refusal to confront the psychological transformation Riu identifies.
• Their conflict becomes ideological as much as physical: Riu believes Shisui must accept a predetermined path, while Shisui insists on choosing his own.

Significant Themes

• Identity and personal change: The central question is whether Shisui remains his former self or has been reshaped by trauma and guilt.
• Fate versus free will: Izanagi represents changing or denying fate, while Izanami represents imposing and accepting a fixed reality.
• Self-acceptance: Izanami can only be escaped by acknowledging one’s true nature, making the endless battle a psychological test rather than merely a physical one.
• Trauma and ideology: Shisui’s desire for peace has become intertwined with the pain of the massacre, raising the possibility that his “principles” are partly a response to unresolved trauma.
• Power and manipulation: Riu’s superior understanding of ocular abilities allows him to control the battle and force Shisui into confronting truths he refuses to acknowledge.

Character Interactions

• Riu taunts and challenges Shisui while repeatedly offering him an alternative to continued resistance.
• Shisui rejects Riu’s attempts to define his identity or dictate his future, responding with increasingly desperate attacks.
• Riu’s repeated line—“Accept the fate I have arranged for you”—directly opposes Shisui’s declaration that he believes only in himself.
• Their confrontation ultimately becomes a battle between Riu’s imposed “fate” and Shisui’s insistence on autonomy, with Izanami trapping Shisui inside that unresolved conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Dust Settles! (5/5)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shisui remains trapped in the endless cycle of Izanami until the technique finally succeeds in correcting his distorted outlook.
• Riu explains to Itachi and Yugao that he used Izanami not to destroy Shisui, but to restore his original personality and recruit him into the Shadow Village.
• Riu reveals that his own Mangekyō Sharingan are failing despite his Hashirama-cell enhancements. He intends to transplant Shisui’s right eye and awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
• He explains the limits and nature of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan:
  • Ordinary Mangekyō use eventually causes blindness.
  • Hashirama Cells can reduce the side effects, but not completely negate them when both eyes are heavily used.
  • Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan requires compatible eyes from close relatives, such as brothers or a parent and child.
  • The two ocular powers fuse, creating new and potentially superior techniques.
  • Simply swapping eyes between two people does not allow both to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō; only the stronger compatible fusion succeeds.
• Shisui awakens and confesses that his obsession with Kotoamatsukami caused him to become arrogant and self-centered. He had believed his power alone could save the Uchiha and reshape the world.
• After experiencing countless cycles of Izanami, Shisui recognizes that he—not Itachi or Riu—was the one who had lost himself. He pledges loyalty to Riu and offers to serve as his assistant.
• Exhausted by the experience, Shisui collapses. Itachi carries him and remains deeply concerned for him.
• In a shocking act of loyalty, Itachi removes his own left eye and offers it to Riu. Riu accepts it, recognizing that he needs its power.
• Riu promises Itachi that his sacrifice will one day help save the shinobi world.
• Riu transports himself to the Kamui dimension, where he removes his now-blind eyes and stores them away. He implants Shisui’s right eye and Itachi’s left eye, beginning the fusion process required to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

Character Developments

• Riu: Demonstrates pragmatism and long-term planning. Rather than killing Shisui, he uses Izanami to preserve a valuable talent and gain his loyalty. He also accepts Itachi’s sacrifice without hesitation, fully committing to acquiring greater ocular power.
• Shisui: Undergoes a major psychological transformation. He abandons his savior complex and recognizes that power had made him egotistical and disconnected from his true values. He sincerely submits to Riu and joins the Shadow Village.
• Itachi: Shows profound loyalty and willingness to sacrifice himself for Riu’s larger vision. Giving up his eye also reflects his trust that Riu’s power may ultimately protect the shinobi world.
• Yugao: Learns more about the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Her curious questions help clarify the mechanics and limitations of these abilities.

Significant Themes

• Power versus self-control: Shisui learns that possessing overwhelming power does not guarantee wisdom or moral authority.
• Identity and redemption: Izanami forces Shisui to confront his mistakes and recover the person he had been before becoming consumed by his abilities.
• Sacrifice for a greater purpose: Itachi willingly gives up his eye, believing Riu’s growing power may prevent future catastrophe.
• Planning and manipulation: Riu’s foresight allows him to arrange circumstances involving Shisui and Itachi years in advance.
• The cost of power: Mangekyō abilities offer extraordinary strength but demand blindness, sacrifice, and irreversible consequences.
• Loyalty and recruitment: Riu preserves talented individuals by reshaping their beliefs rather than destroying them, expanding the Shadow Village’s strength.

Important Character Interactions

• Riu reassures Itachi that Shisui was spared because he values his talent and understands Itachi would struggle with Shisui’s death.
• Yugao questions Riu about the Mangekyō Sharingan, leading to an explanation of Hashirama Cells, blindness, familial compatibility, and the unique powers of the Eternal Mangekyō.
• Shisui kneels before Riu and openly acknowledges his mistakes, pledging himself to the Shadow Village.
• Itachi supports Shisui after his release from Izanami, then sacrifices his own eye for Riu.
• Riu accepts Itachi’s sacrifice and begins the transplantation and fusion of Shisui’s and Itachi’s eyes, anticipating new ocular powers—possibly combining Kotoamatsukami and Tsukuyomi with an entirely new ability.

Chapter Summary: “Awakening, Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan! (1/5)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the Space-Time Dimension, Riu/Yu undergoes the fusion required to obtain the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. His eyes burn intensely as powerful ocular chakra flows through them, but he remains excited rather than afraid.
• Meanwhile, Orochimaru discovers an ancient tomb eight thousand meters beneath the Land of Water. After escaping a year-long illusion created by the tomb’s defenses, he reaches the frozen corpse of Byakuren, the First Mizukage.
• Orochimaru explains that Byakuren possessed the terrifying Kekkei Tōta, Pestilence Release, which could transform chakra into contagious pathogens. Kirigakure secretly eliminated Byakuren’s descendants and buried his body to prevent the ability from resurfacing.
• Seeking to study the mysteries of disease and obtain Byakuren’s power, Orochimaru attempts to extract blood from the corpse. The ice coffin freezes and destroys his ordinary White Snake, forcing him to use Sage Mode and the four Sage Snakes to open it.
• Orochimaru successfully obtains a blood sample, but Byakuren’s corpse suddenly releases black smoke and explodes. Orochimaru tries to escape using his Dynamic Kamui Mark, but it fails, leaving him engulfed by the smoke.
• A month later, Yu has still not returned to Shadow Village. Xiyang worries that the eye fusion may have trapped him in the Space-Time Dimension, while young Uchiha Xue innocently asks when her father will come home.
• In Konoha, Hiruzen and Minato discuss the disappearance of Danzo and the collapse of Root. They decide to return Root members to their clans or absorb them into ANBU, despite the likely adjustment problems.
• Hiruzen and Minato also discuss Naruto’s extraordinary early development. Now free from the burden of suppressing the Nine-Tails, Naruto has mastered the Shadow Clone Technique, Rasengan, and over a hundred ninjutsu, already reaching roughly Jōnin-level strength at age six.
• Minato worries that Naruto’s overwhelming talent has made him arrogant and socially isolated. He believes Naruto should attend the Ninja Academy and learn to interact with children his own age.
• Minato notices that the mark connected to Yu has been inactive for over a month, suggesting either Yu’s death or his continued absence from the normal world.
• Suddenly, the mark changes. At the same time, Yu completes the fusion, removes his bandages, and awakens the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, accompanied by the appearance of his Dark Heavenly Demon Shadow.

Character Developments

• Yu/Riu reaches a major power milestone by successfully awakening the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. His restored vision and renewed strength suggest that his Kamui ability will also return.
• Orochimaru demonstrates his relentless pursuit of forbidden knowledge. His willingness to enter a deadly tomb and experiment on Byakuren’s corpse shows both his intelligence and his disregard for danger, though the black-smoke explosion leaves his fate uncertain.
• Xiyang displays her affection and concern for Yu, maintaining hope despite his prolonged absence.
• Naruto is portrayed as an exceptionally gifted child whose rapid mastery of ninjutsu has made him extremely powerful but also arrogant and poorly adjusted socially.
• Minato acts as both Naruto’s father and a responsible leader, recognizing that raw power is not enough and that Naruto needs humility, discipline, and peer relationships.
• Hiruzen reflects more critically on Danzo, acknowledging that Root once served a purpose but that Danzo’s methods eventually became too extreme.

Significant Themes

• Power and transformation: Yu’s awakening represents the culmination of a dangerous process and promises a dramatic increase in his abilities.
• The pursuit of forbidden knowledge: Orochimaru’s expedition highlights the lengths he will go to uncover the secrets of bloodlines, disease, and biological power.
• The dangers of hidden power: Byakuren’s Pestilence Release was so dangerous that his descendants were secretly eliminated and his corpse buried far underground.
• Responsibility versus strength: Naruto’s immense abilities are presented as potentially harmful if not balanced by humility, education, and social development.
• The consequences of extremism: Danzo’s fall illustrates how a system created to protect a village can become corrupt when its methods lose all restraint.
• Separation and uncertainty: Yu’s disappearance causes anxiety among those close to him, while the inactive marker creates suspense about his condition and whereabouts.

Character Interactions

• Orochimaru and Byakuren’s corpse: Orochimaru treats the deceased Mizukage as a source of biological power, revealing his clinical and exploitative attitude toward forbidden research.
• Xiyang and Uchiha Xue: Their domestic exchange shows the family’s longing for Yu and contrasts innocent childhood curiosity with Xiyang’s hidden anxiety.
• Hiruzen and Minato: Their private discussion covers Root’s dissolution, Danzo’s legacy, Naruto’s education, and the future organization of Konoha’s young ninja.
• Minato and Yu: Though Yu is absent, Minato’s concern over the unresponsive marker demonstrates their connection and establishes the mystery surrounding Yu’s prolonged stay in the Space-Time Dimension.
• Yu and his own power: The final scene presents Yu’s direct confrontation with the transformation process, ending with his triumphant awakening of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

Chapter Summary: “Nurturing a New Dojutsu! (2/5)”

Plot Points and Events

• Riu returns from the Kamui dimension, reappearing in the Land of Massacre in the Land of Grass rather than at his previous battlefield.
• Minato arrives using Flying Raijin, but Riu detects his emergence and attacks him immediately.
• Riu reveals that his eyes have evolved: the Mangekyō patterns now combine curved-hook tomoe with Kamui’s original design.
• The two engage in a test battle. Riu demonstrates enhanced precognition, allowing him to anticipate Minato’s movements within his field of vision, as well as his existing intangibility and Kamui abilities.
• Minato studies Riu’s limitations and successfully exploits his blind spot. He lures Riu into allowing physical contact, teleports behind him, and launches a Rasenshuriken.
• Riu unveils his newly awakened dojutsu, Yumotolu, which can rewind time within a designated area. The rewind erases consequences caused by changes in that area, causing Minato and his Rasenshuriken to return to their previous positions.
• Minato is pulled into Yumotolu’s white Time Zone. He realizes that Riu’s ability is effectively time manipulation and that the dimension’s time flows ten times faster than in the outside world.
• Using Sage Mode and Sage Art: Flying Raijin Triple-Stage, Minato manages to escape the dimension.
• Riu explains that Minato experienced six minutes, while an hour passed outside. He warns that enemies unable to escape would be trapped and eliminated.
• Riu departs, hinting that powerful “people” will eventually arrive and that he hopes Minato will continue growing strong enough to challenge him.
• Before leaving, Riu agrees to visit Minato’s home for Naruto’s upcoming birthday, bringing his daughter Xiaoxue. Minato reflects on whether the children will become friends and briefly considers his future daughter’s unusual name.

Character Development

• Riu has advanced dramatically after his month-long disappearance. His new eyes grant him predictive vision and Yumotolu’s time-reversal ability, placing him clearly above Minato in power. He is increasingly confident, threatening, and willing to treat defeated enemies as disposable.
• Minato remains exceptionally perceptive and adaptable. He quickly analyzes the limits of Riu’s precognition, devises a successful counterattack, identifies the nature of Yumotolu, and escapes through advanced Sage Mode Flying Raijin.
• Although Minato loses the confrontation, he proves he can still survive Riu’s techniques and continues to represent a future rival capable of catching up.
• Riu and Minato’s relationship remains a mixture of rivalry, mutual respect, and personal familiarity. Riu sees Minato as a worthy opponent, while Minato remains cautious but curious about Riu’s powers and plans.

Significant Themes

• Escalating power and evolution: Riu’s new dojutsu marks another major increase in the scale of abilities, moving from space-time manipulation toward localized time control.
• Adaptation through battle: Both characters use combat as a learning process, analyzing each other’s abilities rather than simply attacking blindly.
• Limits and counterplay: Even overwhelming powers have weaknesses—Riu’s precognition cannot cover his blind spots, while Minato’s escape depends on Sage Mode and advanced Flying Raijin.
• Time and consequence: Yumotolu raises questions about causality, memory, and whether erased events truly cease to have happened.
• Rivalry and future threats: Riu’s comments about unnamed people arriving suggest a larger conflict ahead, with Minato’s continued growth necessary for the coming challenges.
• Family and friendship: The closing discussion shifts from lethal combat to birthdays, children, and the possibility that Naruto and Xiaoxue may become friends, balancing the chapter’s darker power struggle with domestic hopes.

Important Character Interactions

• Riu and Minato’s sparring match serves as both a battle and an exchange of information, with each testing and studying the other’s abilities.
• Minato’s tactical maneuver briefly turns the fight in his favor, but Riu counters with Yumotolu and demonstrates the gap between them.
• Riu acknowledges Minato’s strength after his escape, while Minato recognizes the severe danger posed by Riu’s new dojutsu.
• Their final conversation blends threats, rivalry, and social familiarity: Riu promises to visit Minato’s family, while Minato reflects on their children potentially forming a bond.

Chapter Summary: “Itachi’s Way of Survival!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Riu returns home, where Yugao enthusiastically embraces him and Xiyang welcomes him with relief. Their affectionate reunion highlights the family’s closeness.
• Riu gives Xiyang Kagami’s right eye so she can receive a Sharingan transplant. Although frightened by the painful procedure, Xiyang performs it herself and successfully heals the wound with Medical Ninjutsu.
• Xiyang is amazed by her enhanced vision and admires Riu’s eyes. Riu promises that her new power will protect their family, and the couple shares an intimate reunion.
• Riu plans to attend Minato’s child’s birthday with Xiyang and Xiaoxue, hoping to introduce Xiaoxue to the wider world beyond the village.
• At the hospital, Riu discovers that Shisui is unconscious after receiving Itachi’s right eye. Itachi has sacrificed both of his own eyes to give Shisui lasting ocular power, including the potential to inherit Amaterasu.
• Riu offers Itachi Fugaku’s recovered left eye, while Itachi reveals that Shisui had already given him Fugaku’s right eye. Itachi implants both eyes and awakens the Mangekyō Sharingan again.
• Itachi asks Riu to allow him to leave with Fugaku’s eyes and eventually tell Sasuke that Itachi alone destroyed the Uchiha Clan.
• Itachi intends to make himself the focus of Sasuke’s hatred, allowing Sasuke to kill him, awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, and eventually inherit the “eternal light” of Itachi’s eyes.
• Rather than manipulate Sasuke with Kotoamatsukami, Itachi chooses to let Sasuke make his own choices. He also plans to join Shadow Village’s ANBU and protect the village from the shadows.
• Riu reluctantly accepts Itachi’s request and resolves to take responsibility for Sasuke’s future.

Character Developments

• Xiyang shows courage and determination by performing her own eye transplant despite her fear. Her new Sharingan strengthens her role as a protector of Riu and their family.
• Riu remains affectionate toward his family but is forced to confront the emotional and moral burden of Itachi’s plan. He ultimately respects Itachi’s wishes and decides to guide Sasuke.
• Itachi demonstrates extreme self-sacrifice and strategic foresight. He willingly abandons his eyes, reputation, and future happiness to protect Shisui, Shadow Village, and Sasuke.
• Shisui is no longer treated as an enemy. Through Itachi’s sacrifice, he is positioned to become a powerful ally of Shadow Village.
• Sasuke, though absent, becomes central to the chapter’s future conflict. Itachi deliberately shapes himself into Sasuke’s enemy so Sasuke can gain strength without being mentally controlled.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice for loved ones: Both Xiyang and Itachi endure pain to gain or provide power that will protect others.
• Free will versus manipulation: Itachi rejects the use of Kotoamatsukami on Sasuke, recognizing that forcing someone’s choices—even for their benefit—is still a form of harm.
• The burden of hatred: Itachi chooses to bear the hatred for the Uchiha massacre so that Sasuke will not turn against Konoha as a whole.
• Family and protection: The chapter contrasts warm domestic affection with the darker sacrifices made to preserve family and village security.
• Destiny and survival: Itachi seeks to “survive” not by avoiding suffering, but by ensuring that his sacrifices create a future for Sasuke and Shadow Village.

Character Interactions

• Yugao’s playful affection toward Riu creates a lighthearted family moment, while Xiyang’s reunion with him emphasizes their romantic bond.
• Riu supports Xiyang through her painful Sharingan transplant, and their exchange reinforces their mutual trust and intimacy.
• Riu confronts Itachi over the loss of his eyes, but their conversation becomes a serious discussion about Sasuke, responsibility, and the danger of controlling others.
• Itachi appeals directly to Riu as his master, asking him to preserve the truth of the Uchiha massacre and support Sasuke’s future revenge.
• Riu initially questions Itachi’s plan but ultimately understands his motives and agrees to become a mentor and protector to Sasuke.

Chapter Summary: “A Family of Three and Another Family of Three!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiyang dresses her daughter Xue in new clothes and tells her they are going to Konoha for a visit. Xue innocently assumes they are returning to her “grandma’s house.”
• Before leaving, Xiyang and Riu wait for confirmation from Minato. Riu insists on waiting so they do not accidentally interrupt Minato and Kushina’s private time.
• At the Hokage Mansion, Minato and Kushina are delayed because of Kushina’s unusually intense romantic demands. Afterward, Minato realizes it is already eight o’clock and rushes to prepare Naruto’s birthday celebration.
• Minato uses the Flying Thunder God technique to quickly purchase a cake and ingredients, then prepares the meal.
• Naruto returns from his first day at Ninja School and dismisses it as boring because he already surpasses the instructors and his classmates in ability.
• Minato reveals that the cake is for Naruto’s birthday and that guests will be arriving. Naruto initially treats the occasion casually but pretends to be excited to avoid disappointing his father.
• Minato, Kushina, and Naruto wait together. Minato activates the Kamui Dynamic Marker, creating a space-time vortex in the living room and shocking Naruto.

Character Developments

• Xiyang acts as a caring mother, helping Xue dress and teaching her to behave properly when visiting others.
• Xue remains innocent and childlike, misunderstanding the destination and enthusiastically believing they are visiting her grandmother.
• Riu demonstrates caution, intelligence, and consideration by refusing to visit Minato’s family without confirming that they are ready.
• Kushina is portrayed as affectionate, confident, and highly passionate in her marriage, though her intensity causes the family’s plans to run late.
• Minato balances his responsibilities as Hokage, husband, and father. He goes out of his way to prepare Naruto’s birthday despite the late start and understands that Naruto’s apparent excitement is partly an act.
• Naruto is shown as extraordinarily powerful and emotionally detached from ordinary childhood experiences. He finds Ninja School beneath him and has become so spoiled and comfortable that birthdays no longer feel special to him, though he tries to appreciate Minato’s effort.

Significant Themes

• Family and belonging: The chapter contrasts two families of three and sets up their meeting, suggesting the formation of a broader family connection.
• Parent-child affection: Both mothers care for their children, while Minato tries to create a meaningful birthday for Naruto.
• Childhood innocence versus maturity: Xue’s innocent misunderstandings contrast with Naruto’s advanced abilities and emotionally jaded attitude.
• Extraordinary lives and ordinary celebrations: Despite their supernatural powers and unusual circumstances, the characters still value domestic moments such as meals, clothing, birthdays, and family visits.
• Isolation caused by exceptional ability: Naruto’s overwhelming strength separates him from his classmates, making ordinary school life dull and preventing him from sharing their experiences.

Character Interactions

• Xiyang gently disciplines and guides Xue while maintaining a playful relationship with her.
• Riu and Xiyang discuss whether to visit Minato’s household, with Riu’s caution highlighting their familiarity with Minato and Kushina’s private relationship.
• Kushina and Minato exchange affectionate declarations, emphasizing their strong marriage.
• Minato questions Naruto about school and prepares his birthday celebration, while Naruto responds with indifference but attempts to act grateful.
• The chapter ends with Naruto reacting in shock as Minato opens a Kamui portal, presumably to receive the visiting family.

Chapter Summary: Yu and Naruto! (5/5)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Riu, his wife Xiyang, and their daughter Xue’er visit Minato and Kushina’s home.
• Kushina warmly welcomes Xiyang and treats Riu with trust and affection, largely because Riu was entrusted by Mito and helped protect Kushina and Naruto during Naruto’s birth.
• Xue’er innocently reveals that Riu only removes his mask when sleeping with Xiyang, embarrassing her mother and causing Kushina to burst into laughter.
• Naruto recognizes Riu as “Shadow” and questions him about his space-time ninjutsu, noticing its similarity to Minato’s Flying Raijin.
• Naruto challenges Riu to a fight. Minato agrees and transports both families to an open clearing using the Flying Raijin.
• Naruto demonstrates extraordinary skill:
  • Releases his sealed chakra.
  • Creates thousands of Shadow Clones.
  • Combines some clones with Rasengan.
  • Uses clones to launch a massive “Hundredfold Rasengan Meteor Shower.”
  • Employs a Wind Release Shadow Clone and disguises his original body as a Fūma Shuriken to attack Riu from behind.
• Riu effortlessly counters Naruto’s attacks with Wood Release and Wind Release, destroying the clones and overwhelming Naruto.
• Just as Naruto attempts to land a Big Ball Rasengan, Riu activates his left eye’s powerful genjutsu, Tsukuyomi.

Character Developments

• Riu: Reveals a relaxed, affectionate side around his family and Minato’s household. He is amused by Naruto’s determination and sees the battle as an opportunity to teach Naruto techniques and pressure that Minato cannot provide. Despite his overwhelming superiority, he respects Naruto’s ingenuity.
• Naruto: Displays exceptional talent, discipline, and courage. Though young, he possesses advanced chakra control, Shadow Clone tactics, Rasengan variants, and creative battle strategies. He remains polite and well-mannered but has inherited a strong competitive spirit and refusal to surrender.
• Kushina: Has fully overcome her earlier distrust of Riu and now considers him a benefactor because of his connection to Mito and his role in protecting her and Naruto. Her warm, humorous personality is highlighted.
• Xiyang: Shows affection and embarrassment during her family’s interactions, while also recognizing Naruto’s extraordinary talent.
• Xue’er: Provides comic relief through her innocent remarks and reacts with childlike amazement to Naruto’s techniques.
• Minato: Acts as a supportive father and host. He recognizes Naruto’s abilities and allows the match, while also relocating everyone safely.

Significant Themes

• Trust and legacy: Mito’s trust in Riu has shaped Kushina’s attitude toward him, showing how personal bonds and past sacrifices influence present relationships.
• Family warmth and humor: The gathering balances the characters’ powerful political and ninja identities with domestic affection and playful embarrassment.
• Exceptional talent in an altered world: Naruto’s abilities far exceed what would normally be expected at his age, emphasizing that this version of the world has developed differently from the original timeline.
• Ingenuity versus overwhelming power: Naruto relies on creativity, deception, and teamwork among his clones, while Riu counters with vastly superior techniques and experience.
• Teaching through challenge: Riu uses the battle not merely to defeat Naruto but to expose him to a level of pressure and combat ability Minato cannot offer.

Character Interactions

• Kushina embraces Xiyang and openly welcomes Riu, demonstrating their close familial trust.
• Xue’er’s unfiltered comment about Riu and Xiyang creates an awkward but humorous moment.
• Naruto respectfully interrogates Riu about his techniques before boldly challenging him.
• Minato mediates the situation, agrees to the duel, and transports the group to a safe battlefield.
• Xiyang and Xue’er watch and comment on Naruto’s abilities, while Minato and Kushina react with surprise at their son’s strength.
• Riu and Naruto establish a mentor-like dynamic: Naruto seeks to test himself against Riu, while Riu recognizes Naruto’s potential and intends to teach him through combat.

Chapter Summary: “Enemies and Friends, Protection and Slaughter!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Riu traps Naruto in a powerful Tsukuyomi illusion as a “birthday present.” Within the illusion, he repeatedly stabs Naruto and explains the pain, danger, and reality of a ninja’s life.
• Riu intends to force Naruto, who has grown up protected as the Hokage’s son, to confront the possibility of death and understand the suffering endured by ordinary shinobi.
• Although badly traumatized and physically exhausted, Naruto refuses to submit. He breaks free of the illusion, accepts the experience as “awesome,” and stubbornly gets up with Xue’er’s help.
• During the birthday feast, Riu and Minato discuss Danzo’s death, Root’s surviving members, Kushina’s pregnancy, and the danger posed by Danzo’s ideology.
• Minato admits that he deliberately failed to intervene when Riu fought Danzo because Danzo had threatened Kushina and Naruto, though Minato had previously tolerated him out of respect for the Third Hokage.
• Riu warns that Kushina’s pregnancy must remain secret and proposes that she stay in the Shadow Village for safety.
• Riu explains the Divine Tree, Kaguya, and his long-term plan to revive the Ten-Tails and become its jinchūriki in order to oppose a powerful enemy group.
• Because the Ten-Tails requires the Nine-Tails’ chakra, Riu acknowledges that he may eventually target Kushina. He promises to seek a way to extract the Nine-Tails without killing her, but admits he may be forced to choose otherwise.
• The chapter ends with Riu challenging Minato to become strong enough to stop him within three years.

Character Developments

• Naruto: Experiences genuine pain and fear for the first time, gaining a harsher understanding of the risks faced by shinobi. Despite the ordeal, his natural resilience and refusal to admit defeat are emphasized.
• Riu: Acts both as a cruel mentor and a protective ally. He deliberately traumatizes Naruto to prepare him for reality, while also planning to protect Kushina and confronting major threats through the Ten-Tails.
• Minato: Reveals a morally darker side by admitting he allowed Danzo to die because of Danzo’s threat to his family. He remains loyal to the Third Hokage but recognizes that Root’s ideology could endanger Konoha.
• Kushina: Is revealed to be three months pregnant. She remains warm and supportive toward Xiyang while also thinking ahead about her children’s future.
• Xiyang: Reveals that she can no longer have children after Xiaoxue’s birth, exposing a private emotional wound despite her contentment with her current family.
• Xiaoxue: Behaves playfully during the feast, while Kushina and Xiyang begin jokingly considering a future relationship between her and Naruto.

Significant Themes

• Protection versus preparation: Shielding children from danger may leave them unprepared for the brutal realities of the ninja world.
• The cost of power: Riu’s plans for the Ten-Tails require morally dangerous choices, including possibly endangering Kushina.
• Family loyalty versus political duty: Minato’s decision regarding Danzo shows how family protection can override respect for authority and institutional loyalty.
• Moral ambiguity: Riu can be both a tormentor and a protector, while Minato’s apparently righteous leadership includes deliberate inaction and compromise.
• Inheritance and the future: The chapter focuses on what children inherit from their parents—strength, ideology, trauma, and possibly future alliances.

Important Character Interactions

• Riu psychologically and physically tests Naruto, while Xue’er offers Naruto immediate support afterward.
• Riu and Minato have a tense but candid discussion about Danzo, Root, Kushina, and the threat of the Ten-Tails.
• Kushina and Xiyang bond over motherhood; Xiyang’s infertility prompts Kushina’s sympathy and a playful suggestion that their children may one day become a couple.
• Riu and Minato’s friendship is strained by Riu’s warning that he may target Kushina, turning their relationship into a potential future conflict between allies.

Chapter Summary: “Orochimaru, Returns! (2/5)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Naruto’s birthday gathering ends, and Riu, Xiyang, and Xiaoxue prepare to return to the Shadow Village. Riu reveals that he plans to attend the next Chunin Exams in Konoha as one of the Six Shadows.
• Naruto becomes excited at the prospect of competing against children from the Shadow Village and vows to graduate from the Ninja School and participate.
• Xiaoxue expresses interest in attending the Ninja School after meeting Naruto. Riu later orders Saori to arrange her enrollment while concealing her identity as the Shadow’s daughter.
• Riu reviews information about the Shadow Village’s promising younger generation: Karin, Suigetsu, Kimimaro, Hinata, and Sasuke. Xiaoxue is expected to join them in the upcoming Chunin Exams.
• Mangetsu reports that the Hidden Mist Village has located a child from the Yuki Clan who can use Ice Release. The child, Haku, survived the massacre of an isolated village after her mother was killed and is now being pursued by the Mist.
• Riu sends Mangetsu to retrieve Haku while he remains behind to deal with an approaching visitor.
• Late at night, Orochimaru arrives at the Shadow Village in an extremely aged and weakened state. Despite his frailty, he walks the entire road himself. Riu removes his mask and respectfully welcomes him home.

Character Developments

• Naruto is shown as ambitious, energetic, and eager to prove himself. His meeting with Riu inspires him to aim for early graduation and participation in the Chunin Exams.
• Xiaoxue begins developing independence and curiosity, asking to attend Ninja School and preparing to interact with children her own age as an equal.
• Riu demonstrates careful leadership and concern for the younger generation. He wants Xiaoxue protected but also believes she should form friendships without relying on her status. He is also deeply affected by Haku’s plight and Orochimaru’s return.
• Saori is hinted to harbor romantic feelings for someone in the village, though she does not reveal his identity. Her apparent hostility toward Mangetsu creates a brief comedic moment.
• Mangetsu acts as a trusted operative, receiving the mission to bring Haku back.
• Orochimaru returns physically diminished but mentally sharp and proud, insisting on reaching the village through his own strength rather than accepting pity.

Significant Themes

• The rise of a new generation: The chapter emphasizes the emergence of talented young ninja who will shape the future, including Naruto, Xiaoxue, Sasuke, Hinata, and others.
• Protection versus independence: Riu hides Xiaoxue’s identity for her safety, but more importantly so she can build genuine relationships without being treated differently.
• Legacy and belonging: The Shadow Village is becoming a home for children with unusual abilities or difficult pasts, including Haku and the various young ninja under Riu’s protection.
• Dignity and personal strength: Orochimaru’s arduous journey highlights his refusal to be pitied and his determination to return under his own power.
• Healing from past violence: Haku’s tragic story reflects the lingering consequences of the Mist Village’s Bloody Mist era and introduces another vulnerable child in need of refuge.

Character Interactions

• Riu and Naruto share a warm uncle-and-nephew-like relationship, with Naruto eagerly seeking another meeting and promising to impress him.
• Xiaoxue observes Naruto’s unusual personality and is inspired to pursue the same path as the other children.
• Riu and Saori exchange playful conversation about her love life, though her true feelings remain undisclosed.
• Saori reacts coldly to Mangetsu, suggesting tension or jealousy connected to the person she loves.
• Mangetsu reports Haku’s situation directly to Riu and accepts the mission to retrieve her.
• Riu and Orochimaru’s final exchange is solemn and respectful, marking Orochimaru’s return to the village and reaffirming the bond between them.

Chapter Summary: “The First Kage!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• More than a month after being infected by the First Mizukage’s Pestilence Release, Orochimaru is near death. His White Snake Power and Hashirama-derived abilities cannot resist the plague.
• Orochimaru claims to have touched the “essence of the soul” before collapsing. Riu transports him to the deepest level of the Dragon-Suppressing Tower, where he uses the Dragon Vein and his Ryuchi Cave Sage Mode to restore Orochimaru’s body.
• Once revived, Orochimaru satisfies his extreme thirst by drinking from a lake in the Land of Water, even swallowing a loach.
• Orochimaru reveals that he has acquired the “life matter” of the First Kages and proposes summoning them through Impure World Reincarnation.
• Riu chooses to perform the summoning in the Space-Time Dimension and insists on proceeding cautiously, summoning two Kages at a time rather than all four at once. He plans to use Orochimaru’s control, along with his own Kotoamatsukami, if necessary.
• The first two Kages summoned are:
  • First Raikage A, wielder of Shock Release, a devastating Kekkei Tōta combining lightning, wind, and earth.
  • First Tsuchikage Ishikawa, wielder of Desolation Release, which can drain life and counter Wood Release.
• A immediately mocks Riu as an insignificant Uchiha and challenges him. Riu responds by attacking with powerful Fire Release.
• A breaks through Riu’s flames, activates Lightning Armor, and destroys Riu’s Crow Tengu Susanoo with a single Shock Release punch.
• As A prepares to strike Riu directly, Orochimaru attempts to intervene but discovers that his hands have transformed into bare white bones. Ishikawa observes him knowingly, implying that he has begun acting against Orochimaru’s control.

Character Developments

• Riu demonstrates significant growth in judgment and restraint. Unlike five years earlier, he recognizes the danger posed by legendary figures and prepares contingencies before summoning them.
• Riu also displays greater confidence, declaring that he no longer needs to rely on his intangibility in the Space-Time Dimension.
• Orochimaru survives a near-fatal illness through Riu’s intervention and appears fascinated by his research into souls and the First Kages’ powers. Despite his confidence, he may have underestimated Ishikawa’s resistance to Impure World Reincarnation.
• First Raikage A is portrayed as aggressive, proud, and disdainful of later generations, especially Uchiha who do not measure up to Madara. His raw physical power immediately overwhelms Riu’s Susanoo.
• First Tsuchikage Ishikawa is calmer and more observant than A. He appears willing to let events unfold and may already be acting independently of Orochimaru’s control.

Significant Themes

• The danger of underestimating the past: The First Kages, though weaker than Hashirama and Madara, remain extraordinarily powerful and cannot be treated casually.
• Growth through experience: Riu’s cautious strategy reflects the maturity he gained over the past five years.
• Power versus control: Orochimaru believes Impure World Reincarnation will give him command over the Kages, but Ishikawa’s apparent resistance challenges that assumption.
• The limits of immortality and resurrection: Orochimaru’s revival requires immense supernatural power, emphasizing that even his survival depends on forces beyond his control.
• Legacy and comparison: A judges Riu against Madara, while Riu’s abilities are measured against the legendary strength of previous generations.

Character Interactions

• Riu rescues Orochimaru and restores him, reinforcing their partnership and mutual dependence.
• Orochimaru discusses the past five years with Riu and asks about Itachi and Shisui, revealing continued interest in their fate.
• Riu and Orochimaru negotiate the safest method for summoning the First Kages, with Riu taking the more cautious position.
• A insults Riu’s identity and lineage, provoking him into battle.
• Ishikawa remains detached during the confrontation, criticizing or observing the situation rather than helping A or Orochimaru.
• The chapter ends with Ishikawa apparently disrupting Orochimaru’s control, leaving Riu in immediate danger from A’s devastating attack.

Chapter Summary: “Heaven’s Desolation and Earth’s Withering! (4/5)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Riu evades the First Raikage’s devastating attacks by using his advanced ocular abilities, which allow him to perceive and react to the Raikage’s Lightning Release Body Flicker.
• Entering Ryuchi Cave Sage Mode, Riu uses his eye technique, Yumotolu, to reverse the Raikage’s position in space-time. This traps the Raikage in the same location where he had crossed paths with Riu.
• Ten Sage Snakes restrain the Raikage’s joints, preventing him from effectively using his Shock Release-enhanced taijutsu.
• Through the Chimera Technique, the snakes drain and disrupt the Raikage’s body. Riu then combines his Wood Release taijutsu with the Raikage’s own Shock Release: Peerless, reducing the Impure World Reincarnation body to atoms and preventing regeneration.
• Orochimaru explains that Shock Release destroys matter at an atomic level, making it especially dangerous even to reanimated bodies. Riu also realizes that the attack’s recoil severely injures his own arm.
• Riu then confronts Ishikawa, the former Tsuchikage. Ishikawa recognizes that Riu, rather than the caster of the Impure World Reincarnation, is the true wielder of the space-time abilities.
• Riu attacks with a Sage Art Rasenshuriken, but Ishikawa neutralizes it using Desolation Release: Decay Transformation, demonstrating that his power can decay techniques built from bodily energy.
• Riu counters with massive Wood Release. Ishikawa’s Withering and Flourishing Karma rapidly withers the trees, and his Grip of Heaven’s Desolation forms a gigantic hand that attacks Riu and Orochimaru.
• Riu summons the Vajra Wood Man, reinforced by a golden dragon. Although Desolation Release begins decaying its arm, Riu merges the Sage Snakes into his body, restoring the Wood Man’s strength and allowing it to shatter the destructive hand.
• The clash exhausts Riu’s Sage Mode. Realizing that Orochimaru would die if he remained nearby, Riu orders him to retreat and prepares to activate his Complete Body Susanoo.

Character Developments

• Riu demonstrates remarkable mastery of ocular space-time techniques, Sage Mode, Wood Release, taijutsu, and destructive chakra combinations. He defeats the First Raikage but suffers serious strain, particularly in his right arm and Sage reserves.
• Riu’s confidence and ruthlessness increase as he discovers ways to combine his own techniques with an opponent’s abilities. However, he is also shown to be protective of Orochimaru, warning him to withdraw from the battlefield.
• The First Raikage is portrayed as overwhelmingly powerful in direct combat, but his dependence on taijutsu leaves him vulnerable once Riu restrains his joints. His Shock Release is revealed to be capable of completely annihilating a reanimated body.
• Ishikawa is established as a calm, experienced, and formidable rival to Hashirama. Unlike the Raikage, he fights strategically and uses Desolation Release to counter techniques rather than relying purely on physical force.
• Orochimaru provides technical explanations of Shock Release and Desolation Release, acting as an observer and analyst while recognizing the danger of the battle.

Significant Themes

• Power versus strategy: The Raikage’s raw speed and strength are defeated through spatial manipulation, restraint, and tactical exploitation of his weaknesses.
• Destruction and regeneration: Shock Release’s ability to reduce matter to atoms challenges the normal regenerative advantage of Impure World Reincarnation.
• Decay versus creation: Ishikawa’s Desolation Release withers and destroys, while Riu’s Wood Release creates and restores. Their battle becomes a direct conflict between natural growth and inevitable decay.
• Legacy and rivalry: Ishikawa’s reaction to Wood Release reveals the lasting psychological impact of Hashirama and the competitive rivalries of the previous generation.
• Limits of power: Although Riu overcomes both opponents, the effort drains his Sage Mode and damages his body, emphasizing that even overwhelming techniques carry serious costs.

Character Interactions

• Riu verbally challenges the Raikage’s reliance on taijutsu before defeating him through a combination of restraint and Shock Release.
• Orochimaru analyzes the Raikage’s destruction and explains the scientific limits of regeneration.
• Ishikawa identifies Riu as the true space-time manipulator and engages him in a battle of opposing techniques.
• Orochimaru warns of Desolation Release’s ability to counter energy-based techniques, while Riu responds by escalating to stronger Wood Release.
• Riu ultimately prioritizes Orochimaru’s survival, ordering him to retreat before unveiling his Complete Body Susanoo for the next stage of the battle.

Chapter Summary: “Complete Body Susanoo! (5/5)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Riu activates the Complete Body Susanoo, a power available only to users of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Unlike his previous half-bodied version, this Susanoo forms a colossal, fully armored warrior with wings, a massive blade, and overwhelming chakra flames.
• Orochimaru is stunned by the Susanoo’s scale and power, while the First Tsuchikage, Ishikawa, recognizes it as comparable to Uchiha Madara’s legendary Susanoo and realizes that his Desolation Release cannot destroy it.
• Ishikawa attempts to exploit the Susanoo’s supposed weakness: the small cube containing its caster. Using Rock Fist and Ultra-Added-Weight Rock techniques, he attacks the cube from the air.
• Riu reveals that his cube is protected by the Yata Mirror, a divine artifact, causing Ishikawa’s attack to fail.
• Riu then uses the Sword of Totsuka to pierce Ishikawa and seal both his Impure World Reincarnation soul and sacrificial body.
• Before Ishikawa is fully sealed, Riu uses the Chimera Technique to extract and obtain his Desolation Release.
• Afterward, Riu dispels the Complete Body Susanoo, lands without visible exhaustion, and claims that he has acquired another powerful ability.
• He and Orochimaru immediately prepare to summon the First Kazekage and First Mizukage, as Riu remains eager for further battles.

Character Developments

• Riu demonstrates a dramatic increase in power and control. He successfully stabilizes the enormous chakra surrounding the Complete Body Susanoo and wields its divine artifacts with confidence.
• He proves both strategically intelligent and heavily prepared, having equipped his Susanoo with the Yata Mirror for defense and the Sword of Totsuka for sealing.
• Riu’s use of the Chimera Technique shows his continuing ambition to collect and absorb powerful abilities. His lack of fatigue after the battle emphasizes his extraordinary strength and stamina.
• Ishikawa, initially composed because of his experience fighting Madara’s generation, becomes alarmed when he realizes that his strongest techniques are ineffective. Despite his skill and tactical knowledge, he is ultimately defeated and absorbed by Riu.
• Orochimaru acts as an observer and ally, reacting with awe to Riu’s power and immediately supporting his plans for the next battle.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and escalation: The Complete Body Susanoo represents a near-divine level of strength, surpassing Riu’s earlier abilities and rivaling the legendary power of Madara.
• Legend becoming reality: Historical tales of Madara’s Susanoo and the divine weapons of the Uchiha are directly recreated through Riu.
• Preparation overcoming experience: Ishikawa understands the Susanoo’s weakness, but Riu’s superior equipment and hidden defenses render that knowledge useless.
• Absorption and accumulation of power: Riu continues expanding his arsenal by taking Desolation Release from defeated enemies, suggesting an increasingly dangerous quest for supremacy.
• Fear before absolute strength: Even an ancient Kage who survived the era of Hashirama and Madara is shaken by Riu’s transformation.

Character Interactions

• Riu and Ishikawa: Their confrontation centers on Ishikawa’s attempt to exploit a known Susanoo weakness and Riu’s revelation that he has protected it with the Yata Mirror. Riu then defeats and seals Ishikawa while taking his Kekkei Genkai.
• Riu and Orochimaru: Orochimaru reacts with awe to Riu’s Complete Body Susanoo and follows his lead. Their brief exchange at the end establishes their next objective: summoning the First Kazekage and First Mizukage.
• Riu and the legacy of Madara: Although Madara does not appear directly, his reputation shapes the battle. Both Riu and Ishikawa compare the Complete Body Susanoo to Madara’s, emphasizing its legendary status.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Orochimaru uses Impure World Reincarnation to summon the First Mizukage, Byakuren, and the First Kazekage, Reto.
• Despite being resurrected, the two immediately resume their lifelong hostility, trading insults instead of acknowledging Orochimaru or Riu.
• Orochimaru explains that Byakuren and Reto were mortal enemies who died on the same day and have now been summoned together on the same day.
• When the former Kage refuse to cooperate, Riu attacks them with Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame.
• Reto escapes by manipulating the wind, while Byakuren counters with an enormous Water Release technique. Riu blocks the flood with Earth Release: City-Guarding Wall, though the water quickly overwhelms the defense.
• Byakuren recognizes Riu as an Uchiha and compares his confidence to Madara’s.
• Byakuren then unleashes Pestilence Release: Calamitous Disaster Wind, a black wind containing seventy-two lethal pathogens.
• Riu enters Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode and attempts to counter the attack with Sage Art: Wind Release: Heaven’s Blowing Calamity. Although his wind initially slows the plague cloud, Byakuren’s technique gradually overpowers and assimilates it.
• Orochimaru believes they may be doomed, but Riu’s Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan activates a new ocular technique, Yumotolu, setting up the chapter’s cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Riu demonstrates confidence and considerable versatility, combining Fire, Earth, Wind, and Sage techniques against the resurrected Kage. He refuses to be intimidated by Byakuren’s reputation.
• His use of Sage Mode reveals that he possesses enough power to temporarily resist even Byakuren’s deadly Pestilence Release.
• Riu’s newly developed ocular ability, Yumotolu, is introduced but not yet explained, suggesting it may be crucial to surviving the attack.
• Byakuren is portrayed as proud, hostile, and exceptionally dangerous. His Pestilence Release is powerful enough to overwhelm Riu’s enhanced Wind Release.
• Reto remains crafty and evasive, choosing to escape Riu’s initial attack rather than confront it directly.
• Orochimaru acts as the summoner and commentator, recognizing the danger of Byakuren’s abilities and warning Riu about the pathogens in the black wind.

Significant Themes

• Old grudges surviving death: Byakuren and Reto’s hatred remains unchanged after resurrection, emphasizing how deeply their rivalry shaped them.
• Power and legacy: Byakuren compares Riu to Madara, linking Riu’s abilities and arrogance to the feared legacy of the Uchiha clan.
• Adaptation and escalation: Riu repeatedly responds to increasingly powerful techniques with new abilities, showing the escalating nature of the battle.
• Hidden potential: The activation of Yumotolu highlights Riu’s unexplored powers and creates suspense over whether they can counter Byakuren’s ultimate attack.
• Uncontrollable natural forces: Byakuren and Reto’s bloodline abilities manipulate environmental phenomena—disease, wind, water, and atmospheric conditions—making the battlefield itself a weapon.

Character Interactions

• Byakuren and Reto immediately insult one another, continuing their rivalry despite Orochimaru’s attempts to address them.
• Both dismiss Riu at first, ignoring his demands until he attacks them.
• Byakuren acknowledges Riu’s Uchiha heritage and recognizes similarities between him and Madara.
• Orochimaru warns Riu about the deadly nature of Pestilence Release, while Riu responds by relying on Sage Mode rather than retreating.
• The chapter ends with Riu and Orochimaru apparently trapped inside the plague wind just as Riu activates Yumotolu.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The First Mizukage attacks Riu and Orochimaru with Pestilence Release, unleashing infectious pathogens that normally kill anyone exposed. Riu survives by using his new dōjutsu, Yumotolu, to slow time around himself and Orochimaru, delaying the infection.
• Riu then uses Yumotolu again to slow the Mizukage, allowing his ten Sage Snakes to restrain him. Through the Chimera Technique, Riu absorbs Pestilence Release and gains its antibodies. He destroys the Mizukage with Shock Release: Peerless and has a Sage Snake inject Orochimaru with the antibodies.
• Riu’s repeated use of Yumotolu severely drains his ocular power, preventing him from relying on it again soon.
• The battle shifts to the First Kazekage, Reto, inside Riu’s Space-Time Dimension. Reto uses Void Release to manipulate air currents and remain airborne, while Riu attacks him with Water Release and Complete Body Susanoo.
• Reto counters with Absolute Silence, a devastating sound-based technique that disrupts Riu’s mind and chakra control. Riu ruptures his own eardrums to resist it, but bone conduction allows the attack to continue.
• Before Susanoo collapses, Riu launches the Yasakani Magatama, forcing Reto to stop his technique and evade.
• Reto then uses Universal Illumination, a light capable of penetrating barriers and burning out the eyes. Riu rescues Orochimaru with Kamui and escapes the dimension.
• Reto attempts to prepare a vacuum trap inside the dimension, intending to kill Riu if he returns.
• Outside, Riu decides not to reenter immediately and considers preserving Reto’s Void Release bloodline rather than taking it for himself. He plans to keep Reto alive and make him a teacher for Xiyang.
• Orochimaru warns that Reto cannot easily be controlled because Impure World Reincarnation protects him from ordinary mental manipulation. Riu reveals that he intends to use Kotoamatsukami, which he believes can bypass that resistance.

Character Developments

• Riu demonstrates increasing mastery of his ocular powers, combining Yumotolu, Kamui, Susanoo, Sage techniques, and the Chimera Technique. However, the strain of Yumotolu exposes a major limitation: even with the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, his ocular power can be exhausted.
• Riu also proves highly decisive and ruthless, injuring himself by destroying his own eardrums to counter Reto’s sound attack. His priorities begin shifting from simply killing enemies to strategically preserving rare bloodlines and potential allies.
• Orochimaru continues acting as Riu’s analytical partner and support. He recognizes the dangers of Riu’s abilities, helps assess Reto’s powers, and questions the feasibility of controlling him.
• Reto is established as an exceptionally dangerous opponent. His Void Release allows him to fly, manipulate sound and light, and alter the environment itself. He remains proud, hostile, and determined to dominate Riu’s Space-Time Dimension.
• The First Mizukage is defeated and reduced from a major threat to a source of power and antibodies for Riu and Orochimaru.

Significant Themes

• Power versus limitations: Riu possesses overwhelming abilities, but their physical and ocular costs prevent him from using them without consequence.
• Adaptation and sacrifice: Riu survives by slowing infection, absorbing the Mizukage’s bloodline, and physically damaging himself to withstand Reto’s attacks.
• Strategic use of enemies: Rather than eliminating every opponent, Riu considers preserving Reto as a teacher so that Void Release can benefit Xiyang.
• Bloodline inheritance and scarcity: Riu worries about wasting his final Chimera Technique slot on a bloodline that Xiyang already possesses, emphasizing the importance of choosing powers carefully.
• Control versus free will: Riu’s plan to use Kotoamatsukami on Reto raises the issue of forcibly subjugating a powerful, unwilling individual.
• Combat intelligence: The confrontation is decided less by raw strength than by countering specific abilities—time manipulation against infection, self-mutilation against sound attacks, and Kamui against lethal light.

Character Interactions

• The Mizukage accuses Reto of helping Riu and Orochimaru, but Reto denies having any reason to aid outsiders.
• Riu and Orochimaru cooperate closely, with Riu protecting Orochimaru from infection and Orochimaru advising him about the dangers of his dōjutsu and Reto’s abilities.
• Riu and Reto openly challenge one another, each attempting to exploit the other’s weaknesses within the Space-Time Dimension.
• After escaping, Riu and Orochimaru discuss whether Reto should be killed or preserved. Riu proposes turning him into Xiyang’s teacher, while Orochimaru doubts Reto can be made to submit.
• Riu ultimately reveals his plan to use Kotoamatsukami to overcome Reto’s resistance.

Chapter Summary: “Kotoamatsukami, Activate! (3/5)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Riu releases Reto, the deceased First Kazekage, from the Space-Time Dimension. Reto’s body reforms after repeatedly exploding and regenerating inside his own Vacuum Formation through Impure World Reincarnation.
• Riu restrains Reto with Wood Release and discusses taking his Void Release power. Reto shows no concern for the fate of the Hidden Sand Village, believing he already fulfilled his duty by passing on the Will of Wind.
• Riu demonstrates Shamon’s Gold Release, prompting Reto to realize that Riu has met Shamon and to ask about the current leaders of the Hidden Sand Village and Chiyo.
• Orochimaru reveals that Chiyo was Reto’s wife, making Sasori of the Red Sand Reto’s grandson. Riu then asks Reto to teach his wife, who possesses the same Void Release bloodline, how to use it.
• Reto refuses because Riu’s wife is from Konoha, which he resents due to the Second Hokage’s actions at the First Five Kage Summit. He insists that he would never serve someone from another village and asks Riu to extract his Void Release.
• Orochimaru tells Riu that Chiyo is present. Riu uses Kotoamatsukami to rewrite Reto’s will, making Riu’s commands his highest priority. The technique even severs Orochimaru’s control over Reto through Impure World Reincarnation.
• Under the genjutsu’s influence, Reto agrees to teach Riu’s wife, declares Riu his “first homeland,” and places Chiyo as the second most important person in his life.
• Riu assigns Reto a position in Shadow Village and gives him farmland, aligning with Reto’s love of agriculture and his desire to see people prosper. Reto officially settles in Shadow Village.
• Riu explains that, because of Hashirama’s cells, he can use Kotoamatsukami twice a day instead of only once every few decades.
• After realizing that they have obtained nearly everything they need, Riu announces that they still need to meet Hashirama Senju. He orders Orochimaru to use his remaining Hashirama cells to perform a perfected Impure World Reincarnation and restore Hashirama as close to his former strength as possible.

Character Developments

• Riu becomes increasingly manipulative and confident in his use of forbidden powers. He uses Kotoamatsukami not merely to control Reto, but to reshape Reto’s loyalties and political allegiance.
• Reto is portrayed as deeply patriotic, honorable, and devoted to the Hidden Sand Village, but his resolve is completely overridden by Kotoamatsukami. His love for Chiyo and interest in farming remain incorporated into his new, imposed identity.
• Orochimaru is impressed and unsettled by Kotoamatsukami’s ability to override Impure World Reincarnation. His reaction reinforces the technique’s terrifying effectiveness.
• Chiyo gains unexpected importance through the revelation that she was Reto’s wife and Sasori’s grandmother.
• Hashirama Senju becomes the next major objective, with Riu preparing to summon him for answers and possibly to exploit his strength.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation versus free will: Riu’s use of Kotoamatsukami demonstrates the extreme danger of controlling someone’s thoughts while leaving them apparently rational and cooperative.
• Loyalty and identity: Reto’s national loyalty and personal principles are forcibly replaced with devotion to Riu, questioning whether loyalty has meaning when it is artificially imposed.
• Legacy and political history: Reto’s resentment toward Konoha stems from past conflicts between villages, while his relationships with Chiyo and Sasori connect several generations of ninja history.
• Power and exploitation: Riu repeatedly acquires abilities, bloodlines, and powerful individuals for his own goals, treating even the dead as resources.
• Order through coercion: Riu presents Shadow Village as a place of prosperity and stability, but its foundation increasingly depends on domination and supernatural control.

Character Interactions

• Riu and Reto: Their conversation begins as a confrontation over Void Release and village loyalty, then becomes a forced master-servant relationship after Riu activates Kotoamatsukami.
• Riu and Orochimaru: Orochimaru provides crucial information about Chiyo and Reto, witnesses the genjutsu’s effects, and agrees to summon Hashirama despite having only enough cells for one attempt.
• Reto and Chiyo: Their marriage is revealed, giving emotional significance to Riu’s manipulation of Reto through the promise of Chiyo’s presence.
• Riu and Hashirama: They have not yet met, but Riu identifies Hashirama as the final important person he needs to encounter and prepares to resurrect him.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Riu and Orochimaru travel to the devastated Land of Grass to perform the Impure World Reincarnation. The location is chosen because its open terrain can withstand the potential destruction caused by summoning Hashirama Senju.
• Orochimaru uses a prepared living sacrifice enhanced with Hashirama Cells taken from Danzo, along with Hashirama’s remains, to successfully resurrect the First Hokage.
• Hashirama initially appears harmless and friendly, but Orochimaru remains extremely cautious because of his overwhelming reputation and power.
• Hashirama notices Riu’s hair resembles that of someone from his past and briefly approaches him, only for his hand to pass through Riu due to Riu’s phasing ability.
• Hashirama asks whether his brother Tobirama was also summoned. Riu provides another sacrifice, and Orochimaru resurrects Tobirama despite Hashirama’s initial reluctance to involve another living sacrifice.
• The brothers reunite humorously, with Hashirama tackling and affectionately bullying Tobirama. Tobirama, in contrast, remains stern and reproaches Hashirama for his naïveté.
• Tobirama questions Orochimaru about the current era. He learns that forty-two years have passed since his death and that he died during a war with the Hidden Cloud Village.
• Hashirama is distressed to learn that his plan to prevent conflict by distributing the Tailed Beasts did not eliminate war. Tobirama argues that only Konoha’s overwhelming military dominance could have maintained peace.
• Orochimaru offers a more balanced assessment, explaining that Hashirama’s plan still provided a deterrent and that only three Shinobi World Wars occurred in the following decades.
• Tobirama discovers that there are now six major ninja villages, including the newly established Dark Hidden. When he asks who leads it, Orochimaru identifies its leader as Riu, known as Shadow.

Character Developments

• Riu: Demonstrates confidence and authority by orchestrating the summoning and calmly interacting with Hashirama. His phasing ability surprises Hashirama, reinforcing how unusual and powerful he is. His identity as the leader of Dark Hidden is revealed to the legendary Hokage brothers.
• Orochimaru: Shows extensive preparation and caution. Although intimidated by Hashirama and Tobirama, he maintains respectful manners and answers their questions diplomatically. His conduct earns Tobirama’s temporary approval and protection.
• Hashirama: Is portrayed as cheerful, physically affectionate, and somewhat naïve. He remains deeply concerned with peace and Konoha’s survival, becoming depressed when he learns that wars continued after his death. His instinctive kindness is evident when he objects to sacrificing another person to summon Tobirama.
• Tobirama: Retains his analytical, suspicious, and pragmatic personality. He immediately assesses the situation, questions Orochimaru, criticizes Hashirama’s idealism, and focuses on the political and military consequences of the past decades.
• Hashirama and Tobirama: Their reunion emphasizes their contrasting personalities: Hashirama is emotional and affectionate, while Tobirama is stern, practical, and exasperated by his brother.

Significant Themes

• Idealism versus pragmatism: Hashirama believes peace can be achieved through balance and cooperation, while Tobirama argues that lasting peace requires overwhelming power and control.
• The unintended consequences of political decisions: Hashirama’s distribution of the Tailed Beasts created a deterrent but failed to prevent future wars.
• Legacy and historical change: The brothers confront how much the ninja world changed after their deaths, including repeated wars and the rise of new villages.
• Power and deterrence: The discussion suggests that peace depends less on good intentions than on the ability to restrain potential aggressors.
• Reunion across generations: The resurrection allows the founders of Konoha to meet the successors and political structures shaped by their decisions.

Character Interactions

• Hashirama’s curious inspection of Riu highlights his friendly nature and Riu’s unusual abilities.
• Hashirama and Tobirama’s playful physical reunion contrasts with their ideological disagreement.
• Tobirama interrogates Orochimaru, but Orochimaru’s respectful behavior prevents immediate hostility.
• Orochimaru presents Riu indirectly as the leader of Dark Hidden, creating a significant moment of introduction between Riu and the resurrected founders of Konoha.

Chapter Summary: “A Historic Meeting! (5/5)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tobirama initially questions Riu’s legitimacy as the Uchiha “Shadow” of the sixth hidden village, dismissing his reputation as hearsay.
• Riu reveals his Mangekyō Sharingan, forcing Tobirama to acknowledge his exceptional talent. However, Tobirama notices that Riu’s two Mangekyō patterns differ subtly, which he finds unusual.
• Hashirama prevents Tobirama from underestimating Riu and senses the young man’s extraordinary power:
  • Riu’s physical energy is nearly comparable to Hashirama’s at his peak.
  • His body contains Hashirama’s cells.
  • He possesses the chakra of several figures from their generation, including Mito.
• Hashirama recognizes that Mito does not regard Riu as an outsider and agrees to speak with him.
• Riu reveals that the Uchiha Clan was destroyed six years earlier by Danzo, whom Riu recently killed at the same location.
• Hashirama expresses regret, believing his past failures contributed to the Uchiha’s destruction. Riu remains emotionally detached, claiming the clan’s survival or destruction is irrelevant to him.
• Riu reveals that he met Madara when Madara was already an old, dying man. He explains that Madara survived Hashirama’s battle with him at the Valley of the End, though Madara is now truly dead.
• Hashirama asks Riu to share what he knows about Madara for the sake of the shinobi world. Riu agrees but first demands a battle with Hashirama.
• Riu explains to Orochimaru that he must personally measure himself against Hashirama to determine his future path.
• Hashirama accepts the challenge. Tobirama and Orochimaru retreat to avoid being overwhelmed by the battle’s power.
• The chapter ends as Riu and Hashirama begin their historic confrontation by simultaneously using Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence.

Character Developments

• Riu: Demonstrates immense strength, unusual biological enhancements, and confidence bordering on fearlessness. His detached attitude toward the Uchiha’s destruction contrasts with his strong desire to test himself against Hashirama. His knowledge of Madara establishes him as someone connected to major hidden events.
• Hashirama: Moves from cautious observation to respect and openness toward Riu after recognizing Mito’s chakra and Yang Seal within him. He accepts responsibility for the Uchiha’s downfall and agrees to fight Riu.
• Tobirama: Begins skeptical and prepared to assess or possibly exploit Riu, but Hashirama’s warning forces him to recognize Riu’s overwhelming capabilities. His fear and suspicion deepen after learning Madara survived.
• Orochimaru: Acts as an observer and intermediary. Although fascinated by Riu, he understands the danger of the confrontation and withdraws to a safe distance.

Significant Themes

• Power and legitimacy: Riu’s title and authority are questioned until his abilities prove that he deserves recognition.
• The consequences of past decisions: Hashirama confronts the long-term results of his policies and the destruction of the Uchiha Clan.
• Inherited power and experimentation: Riu’s body combines Hashirama’s cells, Mito’s chakra, and other powerful chakra sources, raising questions about identity, artificial enhancement, and the limits of shinobi evolution.
• Rivalry and self-discovery: Riu seeks battle not merely for victory, but to determine his own limits and future direction.
• The persistence of history: Madara’s survival demonstrates that past conflicts may have hidden consequences, while Riu serves as a bridge between the old and new eras.

Character Interactions

• Riu and Tobirama: Their exchange is tense and distrustful. Tobirama challenges Riu’s status, while Riu responds by revealing his Mangekyō Sharingan and indirectly demonstrating that Tobirama cannot easily assess or control him.
• Riu and Hashirama: Their conversation shifts from suspicion to mutual respect. Hashirama recognizes Riu’s connection to Mito and treats him as someone worthy of dialogue, but Riu prioritizes testing their strength.
• Riu and Orochimaru: Orochimaru is intrigued by Riu’s capabilities and worried about his decision to fight Hashirama. Riu makes clear that this battle is essential to his development.
• Hashirama and Tobirama: Hashirama restrains Tobirama’s impulsiveness and warns him not to underestimate Riu, reinforcing Hashirama’s role as the more perceptive and conciliatory brother.

Chapter Summary: Uchiha Riu vs. Hashirama Senju

Key Plot Points and Events

• Riu and Hashirama begin an intense battle by using Wood Release, creating enormous forests that collide and destroy the surrounding terrain.
• Riu demonstrates Wood Release powerful enough to rival Hashirama’s, astonishing Tobirama, who compares Riu’s abilities to a fusion of Hashirama and Madara.
• Riu launches a combined assault using Fire Release, Wind Release, and Kamui. His wind strengthens the flames, while the Kamui vortex further amplifies their destructive power.
• Hashirama counters with Water Release and Earth Release, forming a Mud Bodhisattva that withstands the flames before exploding and clearing the battlefield.
• Hashirama summons twelve weapon-wielding trees and controls them with extraordinary precision. Their coordinated attacks overwhelm Riu’s predictive Sharingan and force him to rely on Susanoo.
• Riu’s skeletal and then Crow Tengu Susanoo block Hashirama’s assault, but the defense is destroyed by Hashirama’s chakra blades. Riu uses Madara’s Gunbai and its reflection ability to shatter Hashirama’s remaining blade and send him flying.
• Hashirama retaliates with a Lightning Release Fūma Shuriken technique, multiplying the weapon into tens of thousands connected by wires. The resulting lightning field traps the area and forces Riu to remain in Phasing Mode.
• Hashirama correctly analyzes Riu’s Kamui-based phasing and tests its duration. Riu claims it lasts ten minutes, while Hashirama reveals that his lightning trap can be maintained for nine minutes, making it ineffective as a long-term strategy.
• Both acknowledge that their opening exchange was merely a warm-up. Hashirama prepares to fight seriously, prompting Riu to unveil his Complete Body Susanoo.

Character Developments

• Riu displays exceptional versatility, combining Wood, Fire, Wind, and ocular techniques while using Madara’s Gunbai and Susanoo forms. He proves capable of matching Hashirama in large-scale ninjutsu and close combat.
• Riu’s tactical intelligence is emphasized through his use of Kamui, predictive vision, Phasing Mode, and deception regarding the duration of his ability.
• Hashirama demonstrates overwhelming mastery of Wood Release, weapon control, elemental combinations, battlefield tactics, and analytical thinking. Rather than recklessly overpowering Riu, he studies his abilities and abandons an inefficient strategy once he understands its limits.
• Tobirama serves as an observer and recognizes the extraordinary level of Riu’s Wood Release and Fire Release.
• The rivalry shifts from a test of techniques to a confrontation between their most powerful forms, with both fighters eager to face a worthy opponent.

Significant Themes

• Escalation and restrained power: The battle’s early exchanges are revealed to be only a warm-up, suggesting that both combatants have withheld their greatest abilities.
• Adaptation and strategy: Raw strength is repeatedly balanced by tactical responses, elemental combinations, prediction, deception, and analysis.
• Rivalry between equals: Riu and Hashirama treat one another with respect and enthusiasm, each recognizing the other as a rare and formidable opponent.
• Power versus limitations: Riu’s Phasing Mode appears nearly invulnerable but has a time limit, while Hashirama’s lightning trap is powerful but cannot be sustained indefinitely.
• Legacy and comparison: Riu’s techniques evoke both Hashirama and Madara, positioning him as a figure who combines the abilities and combat styles of legendary rivals.

Character Interactions

• Tobirama reacts with amazement to Riu’s Wood Release and later comments on the astonishing combination of Fire Release, Wind Release, and ocular power.
• Hashirama and Riu exchange confident, playful dialogue throughout the fight, including a discussion of Riu’s phasing duration and whether he is telling the truth.
• Hashirama compliments Riu indirectly by carefully analyzing his rare space-time ability rather than dismissing it.
• Their mutual smiles and final declarations show that the fight is driven not only by hostility but also by excitement, respect, and the desire to test themselves against someone worthy.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Riu unveils his Complete Body Susanoo, shocking Tobirama and Hashirama because its eye patterns indicate an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan formed from multiple brothers’ eyes.
• Hashirama counters with Wood Release: Wood Human Jutsu, creating a colossal Wood Man comparable in size and power to Riu’s Susanoo.
• The two giants engage in a brutal physical battle:
  • Riu’s Susanoo tears apart one Wood Dragon but struggles against three.
  • Hashirama anchors the Wood Man with Immovable Diamond, allowing it to punch Susanoo.
  • Hashirama’s tree restraints bring Susanoo down, and both massive constructs crash into the ground.
• Hashirama attacks the cube containing Riu, Susanoo’s presumed weak point, with Diamond Force. However, the cube is protected by the Yata Mirror, which Riu claims is an invincible divine artifact.
• Riu marks Hashirama with his ocular power and launches the lethal Ninth-Spear Kamui Magatama. Hashirama uses Yang Release: Separation to remove the ocular mark from his body, allowing the projectile to destroy it instead.
• Susanoo takes flight and unleashes hundreds of explosive fireballs. Hashirama counters by creating hundreds of Wood Dragons that absorb and withstand the flames.
• Hashirama sends the flame-infused dragons at Susanoo, but Riu’s Ten Directions Kamui Sword cuts them apart using space-time-enhanced slashes.
• To neutralize Susanoo’s aerial mobility, Hashirama creates four clones and forms the Four Red Yang Formation, then adds the Five Red: Heaven Seal to trap Susanoo inside a massive barrier.
• Hashirama fills the sealed area with Flower Tree World Advent, immobilizing Susanoo among countless trees and spreading poisonous pollen.
• Trapped and pressured, Riu activates Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode, while another clone meditating in the Yumotolu Time Zone disappears, implying that Riu is preparing to combine two Sage Arts.

2. Character Developments

• Riu is established as a combatant on Madara’s level, possessing an exceptionally powerful Susanoo, invulnerable defensive abilities, space-time attacks, and advanced ocular techniques. Despite his confidence, Hashirama’s counters repeatedly surprise and unsettle him.
• Hashirama demonstrates why he is called the God of Shinobi. He adapts rapidly, invents new Wood Release techniques during battle, detects and counters Riu’s ocular power, and uses strategy rather than relying solely on overwhelming force.
• Tobirama recognizes Riu as a second Madara and fears that the threat they once anticipated has now become reality.
• Orochimaru views Riu’s confrontation with Hashirama as a possible step toward Riu becoming a godlike figure.
• Riu’s preparation to combine two Sage Arts suggests that his true strength has not yet been revealed.

3. Significant Themes

• Power versus adaptability: Both fighters possess enormous destructive power, but the battle increasingly depends on how quickly each can analyze and counter the other.
• The limits of human strength: Riu’s Yata Mirror represents seemingly absolute defense, while Hashirama’s techniques show that ingenuity can challenge even divine-level abilities.
• Innovation in battle: Hashirama creates new techniques spontaneously, while Riu fuses space-time powers with Susanoo’s weapons, demonstrating that both warriors continually evolve during combat.
• The emergence of godlike figures: The chapter repeatedly frames Riu and Hashirama as beings beyond ordinary shinobi, with others questioning whether Riu may become a “god.”
• Hidden reserves and escalation: Neither fighter has fully exhausted their abilities. Riu’s impending dual-Sage transformation promises an even more dangerous phase of the battle.

4. Character Interactions

• Riu and Hashirama engage in direct, respectful but intensely competitive exchanges. Hashirama openly marvels at Riu’s abilities, while Riu acknowledges Hashirama’s exceptional status and is repeatedly shocked by his counters.
• Tobirama observes the battle from a distance, interpreting Riu’s power as the realization of a long-feared Uchiha threat.
• Orochimaru watches with admiration and anticipation, treating the fight as a possible turning point in Riu’s evolution.
• Hashirama’s comments toward Riu remain almost encouraging, calling him “young man” and explaining that his own techniques can be learned, even while attempting to defeat him.

Plot points

• Riu enters Twin-Life Sage Art, combining the Sage Arts of Ryūchi Cave and Shikkotsu Forest. He uses Kamui-linked Black Receivers to destroy Hashirama’s four Wood Release clones and break the Four Red Yang Formation.
• Riu detects and defeats another clone, then drains the battlefield’s vegetation and life force with Desolation Release to expose Hashirama’s hidden true body. A Kamui Rasenshuriken nearly pulls Hashirama underground.
• Hashirama counters by summoning the nine-layer Myriad Grotto-Heaven, restoring life to the devastated land. He explains that he dislikes wasting the battlefield, but gives Riu free rein to use Desolation Release.
• Riu summons the Seven-Tails and Eight-Tails without using blood. He binds them with a giant Sage Art Wood Man and encases all three in Complete Body Susanoo armor, naming the fusion “Armored Black-robed Shaka.”
• The two beasts charge Tailed Beast Bombs, enhanced with Kamui Shuriken. Hashirama responds by summoning Sage Art: True Thousand Hands, setting up the next clash.

Character developments and interactions

• Riu demonstrates exceptional control and inventiveness, combining sage powers, Kamui, Wood Release, and Susanoo. He is also cautious about exposing his blood, a habit formed after a past ambush.
• Hashirama remains magnanimous and respectful, admiring Riu’s abilities and restoring the battlefield rather than simply exploiting his unlimited reincarnated resources.
• Orochimaru recognizes the Myriad Grotto-Heaven and privately admires Hashirama’s choice to fight in a manner consistent with how he lived.
• Tobirama is repeatedly astonished by Riu’s growing power, while Hashirama watches his transformation with serious respect, judging him potentially stronger than Hashirama was in his final battle with Madara.

Significant themes

• Adaptation and mastery: Riu keeps combining techniques and finding ways around his opponent’s defenses.
• Respectful restraint: Hashirama’s concern for the land contrasts with the scale of their destructive battle.
• Power and legacy: Riu’s achievements prompt Hashirama to consider how far the younger fighter has surpassed the previous generation.