Recaps

Rikuo led the Land of Night to victory in Konoha’s Joint Chunin Ninja Exams, revealing the extent of his Sharingan and Susanoo. After the resulting political maneuvering, Konoha’s delegation traveled to the Land of Night for the shogun’s wedding, while Orochimaru began seeking a path to greater power.

• Murasame surrendered to Irori, Yaya, and Komurasaki after they coordinated their ultimate attacks, and Yayoi appointed her as a personal guard.
• Rikuo traveled to Konoha with the Land of Night delegation and advanced through the exams with Chunhua Qianxiao and Dong Xue Jixiang.
• Sakura Hime, Sakumo, and Ryoma defeated Sunagakure and Hidden Cloud teams, while Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru advanced to face Rikuo’s team.
• Rikuo defeated Uchiha Tenmon and then overwhelmed Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, revealing his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and Susanoo-like Chakra Skeleton as Kurono joined the fight.
• Sakura Hime’s team forfeited the final, making Rikuo the champion, and Hiruzen later agreed to exchange Konoha’s Flying Thunder God Technique for Wood Release research.
• Yayoi studied the Flying Thunder God Technique and summoned Kakuzu for a matter in the Land of Whirlpool, while Rikuo prepared to spar with Doichi.
• Orochimaru considered seeking power from Ryūchi Cave after Jiraiya invited him to join Konoha’s delegation to the Land of Night shogun’s wedding.
• Danzō led the delegation, including Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade, through the Land of Night to a station, where they saw a huge steam-powered train.

Yayoi prepared Oda Doichi to succeed him while consolidating the Land of Night’s defenses and moving into retirement at the Heavenly Dao Palace. Doichi took power, Rikuo rose as a formidable leader, and Yayoi continued developing the palace as troubles elsewhere reshaped relations with Tailed Beasts and Dragon Vein Chakra.

• Doichi and Chihiro married, and Yayoi later assigned Doichi to dismantle a private ninja school and arms-trading scheme before sending him to purge eastern rebels.
• Yayoi named his mountain palace the Heavenly Dao Palace and installed extensive defenses, while Doichi’s allies advanced into senior positions and Rikuo took on increasingly demanding missions.
• Yayoi traveled with his family to recover the stolen Dragon Vein Chakra, discovered Shinnō’s hidden laboratory, recruited him, and took the sealed chakra while the Third Kazekage’s suspicions sparked a clash with the Third Raikage.
• Yayoi handed Doichi most of his authority, planned retirement for veteran shinobi, and established the Samsara Pagoda to give selected cadres cursed seals and place them in hibernation.
• As Konoha watched the Land of Night’s growing power, Hanzo defeated Danzo at the border, while Doichi amended Hidden Rain’s reparations deadline and considered how its strength could serve the Land of Night.
• Doichi succeeded Yayoi in a grand inauguration attended by foreign delegations and the Seven-Tails, while Konoha’s representatives concluded that the Land of Night’s new generation remained formidable.
• Yayoi moved his treasures and household to the Heavenly Dao Palace, reviewed Naraku’s powerful puppet forces, and planned new puppets to manage the treasury and prison.
• After Kirigakure’s attempt to cooperate with the Six-Tails ended in a rampage and rebellion, Yayoi designed a space-time prison warden and arranged for Irori to buy more Dragon Vein Chakra from Sunagakure.