Ch. 161Chakra Cannon
Chapter Summary: “Chakra Cannon”
Key Plot Points and Events
- Tobirama Senju confronts A, the former Kumogakure leader, and demands the secret behind Kumogakure’s Chakra Cannon.
- The cannon, introduced in the film’s finale, is believed to possess enough power to destroy the moon or even a planet if supplied with sufficient chakra from a Tailed Beast.
- A refuses, angrily accusing Tobirama of destroying Kumogakure and shamelessly seeking its secrets.
- Tobirama uses the Rinnegan to immobilize A and extract his soul, learning that Kumogakure had only perfected the cannon’s theory and had not yet completed construction.
- Tobirama concludes that Konoha can create the weapon because it possesses abundant Tailed Beasts.
- In the Land of Grass, the daimyo allies with Mui, lord of Hozuki Castle, causing Mui to betray Konoha rather than surrender. Mui releases Gū, a monster sealed long ago by the Sage of Six Paths’ sons.
- Hashirama arrives and confronts Gū, condemning it as an evil creature responsible for countless deaths.
- Entering Sage Mode, Hashirama summons the enormous Thousand-Handed Buddha and destroys Gū with a devastating barrage, reducing both the monster and the surrounding mountain to ruins.
- Hashirama departs casually after the battle, leaving the Mist forces stunned by his overwhelming strength.
- Kisame orders Ao and the Mist forces to launch their final assault on Hozuki Castle. The castle falls easily because its defenders had already been sacrificed to the Box of Bliss.
- The Mist forces later discover that both the Land of Grass’s daimyo and Mui died soon after Gū’s defeat.
Character Developments
- Tobirama Senju is shown as pragmatic, ruthless, and entirely focused on future threats. He views the Ōtsutsuki and the moon containing Kaguya as dangers to be eliminated, and he has no hesitation in using soul extraction to obtain information.
- A remains defiant and bitter toward Tobirama, refusing to cooperate despite Kumogakure’s destruction.
- Hashirama Senju demonstrates the overwhelming power that earned him the title “God of Shinobi.” His moral outrage toward Gū contrasts with his almost effortless destruction of the monster.
- Gū is revealed to be far less powerful than its reputation suggests. Although feared as a legendary ninja tool, it is actually an ancient evil entity whose strength cannot compare with Hashirama’s.
- Kisame gains a deeper appreciation for the power of the legendary shinobi after witnessing Hashirama’s battle. His respect and awe reinforce the vast difference between ordinary elite ninja and figures like Hashirama.
Significant Themes
- Power and militarization: Konoha’s plans to develop the Chakra Cannon show how immense weapons are being incorporated into the struggle for control of the ninja world.
- The ends justify the means: Tobirama’s use of A’s extracted soul reflects his willingness to violate individuals for the sake of protecting the future.
- Legends versus reality: Gū is believed to be a terrifying weapon of the Sage of Six Paths, but its true nature and limited power reveal that reputation can greatly exceed reality.
- The burden of overwhelming strength: Hashirama’s immense abilities make the battle nearly effortless, emphasizing the gulf between legendary figures and ordinary ninja.
- The shifting balance of power: Konoha’s unification campaign continues to advance, while rival territories collapse through betrayal, supernatural threats, and military conquest.
Character Interactions
- Tobirama and A engage in a hostile confrontation centered on Kumogakure’s destruction and the Chakra Cannon’s secrets. Their exchange ends with Tobirama forcibly extracting the information.
- Hashirama condemns Gū as an embodiment of hatred and greed before annihilating it.
- Hashirama’s effortless victory profoundly affects the observing Mist forces, particularly Kisame and Ao.
- Kisame uses the momentum created by Hashirama’s intervention to order the Mist’s final assault on Hozuki Castle, completing the conquest of the Land of Grass.