Chapter Summaries

Yayoi arranged diplomatic efforts to obtain Tailed-Beast Chakra from the villages of Stone, Sand, and Mist, while preparing to persuade Kirigakure’s Mizukage and elders. In Konoha, Hiruzen, Danzō, Homura, and Koharu discussed investigating the Land of Night and learned that Mito’s health was failing, prompting her to request a successor Jinchūriki.

• Yayoi instructed Doichi to send delegations to Iwagakure, Hidden Sand Village, and Kirigakure to negotiate for Tailed-Beast Chakra.
• Yayoi studied the interests and political factions of Kirigakure’s Mizukage and senior elders so he could persuade both sides.
• Danzō told Hiruzen, Homura, and Koharu that the Land of Night had sought Tailed-Beast Chakra from Sand, Stone, and Mist, and Hiruzen suspected it was for research.
• Danzō proposed sending Root agents to investigate the Heavenly Dao Palace, while Hiruzen assigned Orochimaru and the Anbu to monitor Hidden Rain Village in the Land of Rain.
• Hiruzen told the others that Mito’s health was rapidly failing and that she wanted them to choose the next Jinchūriki in advance.

Hiruzen arranged for Homura to negotiate with the Uzumaki Clan about selecting Konoha’s next Jinchūriki. In Kirigakure, the Third Mizukage and Genji considered a trade with the Land of Night, with Genji demanding a powerful blade forged by its First Shogun in exchange for Tailed-Beast Chakra.

• Hiruzen told Danzo, Homura, and Koharu that Konoha needed to find a successor Jinchūriki for Mito and planned to seek a candidate from the Uzumaki Clan.
• Hiruzen asked Homura and Koharu to represent Konoha in negotiations with the Uzumaki Clan, and Homura volunteered for the mission.
• The Third Mizukage and Kirigakure’s elders discussed the Land of Night’s offer to trade goods for chakra from the Three-Tails and Six-Tails.
• The Third Mizukage supported the trade as a chance to open communication with the outside world and improve his standing in the village.
• Genji proposed requiring the First Shogun of the Land of Night to forge a powerful ninja blade for Kirigakure as part of the trade.

Yayoi negotiated tailed-beast chakra trades with the Hidden Sand Village, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure, agreeing to forge Kirigakure a special ninja blade and deciding to create a sword unit for the Land of Night. The trades stirred concern in Kumogakure, where the Third Raikage ordered another Anbu squad to investigate the Heavenly Dao Palace.

• Yayoi reviewed Kirigakure's demands and decided to forge a water- and frost-mist-themed ninja blade rather than trade away Samehada.
• Yayoi decided to form a ninja blade unit from sword-skilled ninja and samurai in the Land of Night, then Hisana distracted him beneath his desk.
• The Land of Night obtained chakra from the One-Tail, Four-Tails, Five-Tails, and Three-Tails, while Kirigakure withheld the Six-Tails' chakra until the blade was forged.
• The Third Raikage and Robui linked the chakra purchases to the Land of Night's earlier collection of the Two-Tails' and Eight-Tails' chakra.
• The Third Raikage ordered another Anbu squad, including a ninja skilled at transmitting intelligence, to infiltrate the Land of Night and investigate the Heavenly Dao Palace.

Danzo sent Tenma and Kinryu to infiltrate the Heavenly Dao Palace in the Land of Night, where they began climbing the Great Snow Mountain. Yayoi spotted them on surveillance and discovered a second group of Hidden Cloud Anbu, then ordered Natsuki to teleport the intruders to the Second Floor.

• Danzo tasked Root ninja Tenma and Kinryu with investigating the Heavenly Dao Palace and gave them the scraps of intelligence he had gathered.
• Tenma and Kinryu crossed into the Land of Night and began climbing the icy Great Snow Mountain while conserving chakra to avoid detection.
• Izayoi spotted Tenma and Kinryu on the palace's electronic surveillance, and Yayoi decided to use them to test the palace's internal defenses.
• Kicho recognized that the intruders' masks did not match those of ordinary Konoha Anbu, and Yayoi identified them as Root members.
• Yayoi noticed three Hidden Cloud Anbu climbing another side of the mountain and told Natsuki to teleport the intruders to the Second Floor.