Chapter Summaries

Tsunade returned to Konoha with Shizune, eager to see her resurrected grandfather, Tobirama Senju. After learning he was at the hospital observing Uchiha Itachi, she hurried there to find him.

• Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki recognized Tsunade at Konoha's gates and greeted her as she entered with Shizune.
• Tsunade burst into the Hokage Office expecting to find Tobirama, but found Shikaku Nara handling documents instead.
• Shikaku told Tsunade that Tobirama was at the hospital observing Uchiha Itachi and said the Hokage likely needed her.
• Tsunade recalled her distrust of Konoha's leadership and hurried toward the hospital to see Tobirama.

Tsunade reunited with her granduncle Tobirama Senju at Konoha Hospital and learned about Konoha’s recent crises and his plans. She agreed to stay in the village, and Tobirama remembered that he needed her help with Uchiha Itachi.

• Shizune comforted Tsunade outside Konoha Hospital, and Tsunade entered Tobirama Senju’s ward.
• Tsunade broke down in Tobirama’s arms, and he welcomed her back.
• Tobirama explained that Orochimaru had revived him and Hashirama Senju with Impure World Reincarnation and recounted Konoha’s recent events.
• Tsunade angrily damaged the ward wall when she learned how Orochimaru had revived them, then rejoiced that Tobirama would remain in Konoha.
• Tsunade agreed to stay in the village and celebrated the news that Shimura Danzō was dead and Hiruzen Sarutobi was confined at home.
• Tobirama noticed Uchiha Itachi emerge from beneath the bedsheet and remembered he needed Tsunade’s help.

Tsunade diagnosed Itachi Uchiha with severe Bloodline Disease from overusing his Mangekyō Sharingan and said Hashirama Senju's cells might cure him. Itachi agreed to the dangerous treatment, and Tsunade left the hospital with Tobirama Senju to walk around Konoha.

• Tsunade examined Itachi Uchiha and identified his symptoms as Bloodline Disease caused by keeping his Mangekyō Sharingan active.
• Tsunade warned Tobirama Senju that Itachi would not live longer than five years, even if he stopped using the Sharingan.
• Tsunade said medicine could delay the illness, but Hashirama Senju's cells might cure Itachi completely.
• Tobirama asked Itachi whether he would try the risky treatment, and Itachi agreed so he could keep serving the Hokage and see Sasuke Uchiha grow up.
• Tsunade told Itachi to rest and take her medicine, then led Tobirama out of the hospital for a walk around Konoha.

Obito met with Orochimaru, confirmed that he had fused Itachi’s Sharingan with Crystal Release, and decided Akatsuki must begin capturing Tailed Beasts before Tobirama could interfere. Nagato gathered the organization’s members and prepared to target Iwagakure’s Five-Tails.

• Tobirama appointed Tsunade director of Konoha Hospital, cured her hemophobia, and planned to rest before Itachi’s Hashirama Cell treatment.
• Obito visited Orochimaru, learned that his Sharingan and Crystal Release fusion had succeeded, and reminded him to prepare Impure World Reincarnation for Akatsuki.
• Obito told Zetsu that Tobirama might know about the Ten-Tails and ordered them to notify Nagato that the plan would begin with Iwagakure’s Five-Tails.
• Nagato told Konan that Madara wanted to put the plan into action, and Konan warned him to be wary of Madara before he went to gather Akatsuki.
• Deidara, Sasori, and Kakuzu returned to Amegakure, joked about their encounter with Tobirama, and noticed that Pain was summoning the organization.

Akatsuki assigned Kisame and Kakuzu to capture Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, after Zetsu reported his location outside Iwagakure. On his way to a village, Han found Black Sickle and his men slaughtering villagers and rescued a young girl.

• Kisame mourned Itachi’s failed assassination and hoped he would survive.
• Pain announced that Akatsuki was ready to begin collecting the Tailed Beasts, and Zetsu reported that Han had left Iwagakure.
• Pain paired Kisame with Kakuzu to capture Han, and the two argued before setting out.
• Han traveled toward a village after Ōnoki granted him half a month away from Iwagakure.
• Black Sickle and his lackeys killed villagers who could not pay his demanded tribute.
• Han killed Black Sickle, rescued the young girl, and broke the limbs of the four fleeing lackeys.

After rescuing Zi Luo from a massacre, Han took her toward Iwagakure and planned to make her his apprentice. Kisame Hoshigaki and Kakuzu intercepted Han on their way to capture him, and Kisame began battling him.

• Zi Luo avenged her parents by stabbing the dying wandering ninjas, and Han stopped her before comforting her and apologizing for arriving too late.
• Han buried the villagers, took the orphaned Zi Luo with him, and invited her to return to Iwagakure and become a ninja.
• Kisame Hoshigaki urged Kakuzu to hurry, but Kakuzu finished counting his bounty money before the pair set off to capture the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.
• As Han and Zi Luo approached Iwagakure, Kokuō warned Han of an incoming attack, and Han dodged Kisame's Shark Bullet while sending Zi Luo away.
• Han fought Kisame with his steam-enhanced speed and taijutsu, but Samehada absorbed his chakra and Kisame attacked with four water sharks.

Kisame and Kakuzu captured Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, after Kisame flooded the forest and fought him underwater. Zi Luo escaped and ran toward Iwagakure to report the capture and seek help.

• Kisame flooded the forest, fused with Samehada, and used sharks to wear Han down underwater.
• Kisame pierced Han's armor, but Han used Kokuō's power to transform and fire a Tailed Beast Bomb.
• Han's Tailed Beast Bomb overwhelmed Kisame's Great Shark Bullet, and the clash ended in a massive explosion.
• Kakuzu found Kisame with Han unconscious and asked whether to kill Zi Luo, but Kisame let her go.
• Kisame carried Han away with Kakuzu, while Zi Luo ran toward Iwagakure to report what happened.

After Iwagakure Jonin Shizhi reported Han’s capture to Ōnoki, Ōnoki blamed Akatsuki and suspected Tobirama Senju had secretly ordered the attack. Rumors spread across the shinobi world, leaving villages with Jinchuriki increasingly wary of Konoha.

• Shizhi returned to Iwagakure with Zi Luo and told Ōnoki that Han had fought an unfamiliar Kage Level opponent before being taken away.
• Zi Luo said two strange men in black robes with red cloud patterns had captured Han.
• Ōnoki concluded that Tobirama Senju had hired Akatsuki to seize Jinchuriki and ordered a search for Han and attacks on Akatsuki and the Land of Earth’s underground black markets.
• Ōnoki regretted letting Han leave the village and began considering a response to Tobirama Senju.
• Reports that Akatsuki had captured Han and rumors that Tobirama Senju had hired them spread through the shinobi world, alarming the villages that possessed Jinchuriki.

Tobirama Senju dismissed rumors that he had arranged the Five-Tails’ capture but admitted he wanted to gather all nine Tailed Beasts to deter war. He and Tsunade went to perform a Hashirama Cell transplant on Itachi Uchiha, while Jiraiya left to check on Naruto.

• Tsunade smashed the Hokage’s desk after hearing rumors that Tobirama Senju had hired the Akatsuki to abduct the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.
• Tobirama Senju said he intended to gather the Tailed Beasts to prevent wars through overwhelming deterrence, though he denied involvement in the Five-Tails’ capture.
• Tsunade confirmed that Itachi Uchiha had recovered enough to receive a cell transplant, and Tobirama Senju ordered the surgery to begin that day.
• Shikaku Nara argued that deterrence was necessary for peace, leaving Jiraiya uncertain about his dream of achieving peace through mutual understanding.
• Jiraiya remembered Naruto and hurried off to check on his student’s grandson.
• A silent battle began inside a room at Konoha Hospital.

After Hashirama Cells cured Itachi Uchiha’s illness and increased his chakra, he discovered that transplanting Shisui’s eyes had given his Sharingan an unusual new ability. The chapter left Itachi able to summon a weakened Perfect Susanoo, while Tobirama Senju considered the nature of his altered eyes.

• Itachi Uchiha endured the Hashirama Cells’ painful effects as they transformed his body.
• Tsunade confirmed Itachi’s illness had cleared and noticed that his eyes had changed.
• Itachi showed Tobirama Senju his altered Sharingan and summoned a roughly fifty-meter Perfect Susanoo equipped with the Yata Mirror and Totsuka Blade.
• Itachi explained that the Susanoo drained his chakra heavily, though it used little ocular power.
• Tobirama Senju concluded that Itachi’s eyes were a new kind of Sharingan rather than the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

After the Akatsuki sealed the Five-Tails, Zetsu persuaded Nagato to frame Tobirama Senju and provoke a war between Konoha and the other villages. Obito and Zetsu planned to use the conflict to capture the remaining Tailed Beasts and have Orochimaru help seal Tobirama.

• Nagato used Deva Path to kill the three Jonin who had helped the Akatsuki seal Han and the Five-Tails.
• Zetsu proposed blaming Tobirama Senju for the Jinchuriki captures and provoking the other villages to attack Konoha.
• Nagato agreed to let Zetsu stir up conflict and ordered the Akatsuki to wait before pursuing more Jinchuriki.
• Zetsu told Obito that Nagato had agreed, and Obito ordered him to inflame the other villages’ anger and enlist Orochimaru to help seal Tobirama.
• Obito said he would create a new world where Rin, Minato, Kushina, and Kakashi could be reborn.

Ōnoki sent Kitsuchi and an Iwagakure delegation to Konoha to demand the return of the captured Five-Tails Jinchuriki, convinced Tobirama Senju had hired Akatsuki. Tobirama recognized that White Zetsu had fabricated the evidence, but Kitsuchi confronted him with a dead Konoha shinobi’s identity and accused him of collusion.

• White Zetsu manipulated Ōnoki into believing Tobirama Senju had hired Akatsuki and sent Konoha spies to investigate Roshi.
• Tobirama Senju summoned Uchiha Itachi, Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, Shikaku Nara, and Jiraiya to meet the hostile Iwagakure delegation.
• Kitsuchi demanded that Tobirama return Iwagakure’s Five-Tails Jinchuriki, and an Iwagakure Jonin accused him of hiring Akatsuki.
• Kitsuchi presented the severed head of Dan Nara as evidence that Konoha spies had entered the Land of Earth under Tobirama’s orders.
• Shikaku Nara confirmed that Dan had died months earlier, leading Tobirama to suspect White Zetsu had impersonated him.
• Kitsuchi accused Tobirama of collusion with Akatsuki and pointed to Uchiha Itachi as another piece of evidence.

Tobirama Senju rejected Iwagakure’s accusation that Konoha had taken the Five-Tails’ Jinchuriki, and the dispute escalated into a fight. After capturing the Iwagakure delegation, he ordered Konoha to prepare for war and heard Itachi Uchiha’s intelligence about the Akatsuki, while Jiraiya wondered whether Nagato was alive.

• Kitsuchi accused Konoha of taking the Five-Tails’ Jinchuriki and threatened war, but Tobirama Senju denied responsibility and challenged Iwagakure to fight.
• When the Iwagakure ninja tried to leave, Might Guy attacked Kitsuchi, Itachi Uchiha trapped another ninja in a genjutsu, and Kakashi Hatake, Itachi, Jiraiya, and Might Guy captured the rest.
• Tobirama Senju ordered Kakashi to take the prisoners to Konoha Prison and seal their chakra, then told the village to prepare for war and guard against the Akatsuki.
• Itachi Uchiha described the Akatsuki and its leader’s Rinnegan, prompting Jiraiya to wonder if his former student Nagato was still alive.
• Tobirama Senju ended the discussion and ordered preparations for battle with Iwagakure as the system’s mechanical voice sounded in his mind.

Tobirama Senju considered using Itachi Uchiha’s Kotoamatsukami while the other villages’ leaders gathered to discuss his threat. Ōnoki proposed a Shinobi Alliance to defeat Tobirama Senju and erase Konoha.

• Tobirama Senju asked Itachi Uchiha about Sasuke Uchiha and learned that Itachi could nearly use Kotoamatsukami at full power.
• Ōnoki accused Tobirama Senju of taking the Five-Tails Jinchūriki and plotting to seize every Tailed Beast, while Elder Chiyo backed his claims.
• Mei Terumi told the gathered leaders that the Fourth Mizukage had been controlled by an Uchiha’s Sharingan and that she had abolished Kirigakure’s Blood Mist Policy.
• The Fourth Raikage A called for the villages to stop Tobirama Senju, and Ōnoki proposed forming a Shinobi Alliance to destroy Konoha.

Ōnoki united the shinobi villages against Konoha, while Obito and Zetsu secretly planned to use the coming war to capture the Tailed Beasts. After learning that Akatsuki had attacked Iwagakure under Konoha’s banner, Tobirama Senju decided to declare war on the Shinobi Alliance before it could assemble.

• Ōnoki persuaded Chiyo, A, Mei Terumi, and the other village representatives to form a Shinobi Alliance against Konoha.
• Obito praised Zetsu for arranging the alliance, and they planned to accelerate the war with White Zetsu disguising themselves as Konoha ninja.
• Naruto and Gaara sparred at a Konoha training ground while Sasuke Uchiha watched from the sidelines, still withdrawn after meeting the man claiming to be his brother.
• Shikaku Nara told Tobirama Senju that Ōnoki had organized the alliance and that attackers had recently damaged buildings in Iwagakure under Konoha’s banner.
• Tobirama Senju identified Akatsuki as the likely culprit and ordered Konoha to declare war on the Shinobi Alliance immediately.

Tobirama Senju ordered Konoha to prepare a surprise attack on Iwagakure while he and Itachi Uchiha pursued the Tailed Beast collection plan. After Ōnoki ordered Iwagakure to attack Konoha in three days, Tobirama and Itachi found Roshi and captured him.

• Tobirama Senju told Shikaku Nara to select Star Clan members to throw Flying Thunder God kunai into Iwagakure, and said he would attack the village himself.
• Tobirama Senju left with Itachi Uchiha to capture a Tailed Beast, while Shikaku Nara and Kakashi arranged Konoha's defenses.
• Ōnoki decided to use the attacks on Iwagakure as a reason to declare war and ordered Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi, Stone Rock, and Gray Earth to attack Konoha in three days.
• Tobirama Senju and Itachi Uchiha found Roshi cultivating inside a volcano in the Land of Earth.
• Tobirama Senju extinguished Roshi's Lava Release with a Water Release technique, and Itachi Uchiha used genjutsu to knock Roshi unconscious.

Tobirama Senju and Itachi Uchiha invaded Takigakure to seize Fu, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, and defeated the village’s defenders. They left with the unconscious Kaede, while Takigakure’s leader and many residents were submerged in Tobirama’s massive water technique.

• Tobirama Senju and Itachi Uchiha reached Takigakure and killed the guards stationed behind its waterfall entrance.
• Tobirama Senju and Itachi Uchiha raced through the village, killing the ninja squad that tried to stop them.
• Kaede appeared in the sky and attacked with scale powder, but Tobirama Senju flooded Takigakure and Itachi Uchiha knocked her unconscious with his Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Tobirama Senju blocked the village leader’s fireball and struck him down with a stream of water.
• Tobirama Senju carried Kaede away with Itachi Uchiha, leaving Takigakure’s survivors mourning their leader.

Tobirama Senju and Itachi Uchiha reached the Land of Water and fought off Kirigakure shinobi while tracking the Six-Tails Jinchuriki. Meanwhile, Akatsuki completed its efforts to turn the other villages against Konoha and prepared to collect the Tailed Beasts once war began.

• Tobirama Senju handed the unconscious Seven-Tails Jinchuriki over to Konoha, then traveled with Itachi Uchiha to the Land of Water.
• Tobirama Senju and Itachi Uchiha entered the Land of Water without their forehead protectors, but Kirigakure shinobi soon confronted them.
• Tobirama Senju followed the shinobi toward the wilderness because their route led toward the Six-Tails' chakra.
• Itachi Uchiha defeated the black-clad men while Tobirama Senju located the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata, and the two set off to find him.
• Zetsu told Pain that Akatsuki's sabotage had turned the other villages against Konoha, and Pain ordered the organization to begin collecting the Tailed Beasts when war broke out.

Tobirama Senju captured Utakata, Kirigakure’s Six-Tails Jinchuriki, and returned him to Konoha. Meanwhile, Shikaku Nara prepared a covert operation against Iwagakure, which Tobirama was waiting to set in motion that night.

• Shikaku Nara selected Xingya, Xingguang, and Xingkong for an optional S-Rank mission to throw Hokage-made kunai into Iwagakure and withdraw.
• Tobirama Senju and Itachi found Utakata in a bamboo grove, and Tobirama identified himself before Utakata attacked with his Bubble Technique.
• Itachi’s Mangekyo Sharingan rendered Utakata unconscious, and Tobirama decided to bring him back to Konoha.
• Tobirama delivered Utakata to Shikaku Nara and ordered him held separately from the other Jinchuriki.
• Shikaku Nara reported that preparations for the Iwagakure operation were ready, and Tobirama and Shikaku waited for the team to arrive.

Xingya, Xingguang, and Xingkong flew to Iwagakure to scatter Flying Thunder God Kunai, but Ōnoki struck Xingguang’s wings with Dust Release. As Ōnoki prepared to pursue the others, a scream behind him made him turn in horror at the sight of Tobirama Senju.

• Xingya, Xingguang, and Xingkong reached the skies above Iwagakure after flying through the night.
• Iwagakure’s sentries spotted the three, raised the alarm, and attacked them with Wind Release.
• The three threw their Flying Thunder God Kunai into Iwagakure and tried to escape.
• Ōnoki hit Xingguang’s Wings of Nature with Dust Release, sending him plummeting toward the ground.
• Ōnoki turned toward a scream behind him and recognized Tobirama Senju.