Chapter Summaries

Tobitake Tonbo used his acting Hokage authority to study the Book of Seals and divide ninjutsu research among his shadow clones. As Sunagakure sought peace and an alliance, he pushed for Konoha to secure oil trading rights in the negotiations.

• Tobitake Tonbo read the Book of Seals and found that its Impure World Reincarnation entry was only a basic framework, then studied the Flying Thunder God Technique and other forbidden jutsu.
• Tobitake Tonbo used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to create dozens of clones and assigned them research into several techniques, including Summoning, Flying Thunder God, and Spirit Transformation.
• A cipher division ninja delivered Sunagakure's peace letter, which blamed the crisis on Orochimaru and proposed reconciliation and a renewed alliance.
• Tobitake Tonbo told Shikaku to negotiate an alliance agreement that would grant Konoha oil trading rights in exchange for trade in selected controlled resources.

Tobitake Tonbo handled Hokage duties by ordering action against Otogakure and tightening security against spies, while wishing Tsunade would return and take over. Later, he met his former teammate Sheng Shimon and his infant son, Sheng Qing, and felt the distance his new position had created between them.

• Shikaku and the advisors approved Tobitake Tonbo's request to view the Book of Seals.
• Tobitake Tonbo ordered the Land of Rice Fields to dismantle Otogakure and allow Konoha ninja to search for Orochimaru, assigning Aburame Shibi to lead the mission.
• Shikaku warned Tobitake Tonbo that spies in Konoha were stirring again, and Tobitake Tonbo ordered an investigation.
• Tobitake Tonbo walked through Konoha's rebuilding streets and met Sheng Shimon, who introduced his infant son, Sheng Qing.
• Sheng Shimon addressed Tobitake Tonbo formally as Hokage, making Tobitake Tonbo notice how his new position had widened the distance between them.

Tobitake Tonbo reflected on how becoming acting Hokage had distanced him from old comrades, while Akatsuki delayed targeting the Nine-Tails and Orochimaru prepared to seek Tsunade to heal his hands. The chapter ended with Kabuto feeling strengthened by Orochimaru’s trust as he prepared medicine for him.

• Tobitake Tonbo considered how Sheng Shimon and other former acquaintances now treated him differently because he had become acting Hokage.
• Pain told Akatsuki to wait before moving against the Nine-Tails, while Zetsu reported that he had not found Orochimaru.
• Kabuto told Orochimaru that Konoha’s force, led by Aburame Shibi, was pressuring the Land of Rice Fields to disband Otogakure, and that Orochimaru’s forces had evacuated.
• Orochimaru confirmed that Kabuto had found Tsunade’s trail and ordered him to prepare for their departure so Tsunade could treat his hands.
• Kabuto reflected on Orochimaru’s praise and began preparing medicine, determined not to betray his trust.

Tobitake Tonbo tested the Spirit Transformation Technique, helped rebuild Konoha, and responded to the assassination of a Land of Fire minister. In Tanzaku Town, Kabuto stopped Tsunade from treating Orochimaru, exposing her intent to kill him.

• Tobitake Tonbo used Spirit Transformation to sharpen his senses, control a wild boar, and consider how to incorporate the technique into other ninjutsu.
• Ayame told Teuchi that she and Tobitake Tonbo were preparing to have a second child while Konoha continued its reconstruction.
• An Intelligence Division ninja reported that Land of Fire Minister Sato Nojiri and his Konoha guards had been assassinated, and Tobitake Tonbo ordered Tokuma Hyuga's team to investigate and warned the Bounty Stations against targeting officials.
• Yakushi Kabuto stopped Tsunade from treating Orochimaru after noticing her killing intent, and Orochimaru confronted her about betraying their former team.

Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Naruto drove Orochimaru and Kabuto away, then continued toward Konoha after learning that Tobitake Tonbo was acting Hokage. Tonbo developed his research and used Reverse Summoning Technique to return home, while Tsunade grew curious about meeting him.

• Jiraiya and Tsunade fought Orochimaru and Kabuto, but Orochimaru escaped with Kabuto after releasing Manda.
• Tsunade collapsed after the battle, and Naruto went to her side.
• Tobitake Tonbo continued developing Heart of Steel, then used Reverse Summoning Technique to return home and spoke with Ayame about her pregnancy.
• Jiraiya told Tsunade and Naruto that Tobitake Tonbo was Konoha's acting Hokage and did not want the permanent position.
• Tsunade recognized Tonbo as Captain Tonbo and decided she wanted to see the genius Jiraiya had praised.

Tobitake Tonbo welcomed Tsunade back to Konoha and tried to hand the Hokage position over to her, while she assessed the village’s recovery and asked about Kakashi and Sasuke. The group headed for the Hokage Office, and Tonbo privately hoped Tsunade would soon take over so he could return to his family.

• Tobitake Tonbo learned from Jiraiya that Tsunade was returning and left the Hokage Office with Shikaku and ANBU to welcome her.
• Tsunade complained about Sarutobi’s age, then punched Jiraiya after he called them all old.
• Tobitake Tonbo introduced himself as acting Hokage and praised Tsunade as Konoha’s future Fifth Hokage, while she suggested he keep the position.
• Tobitake Tonbo cited his pregnant wife and family responsibilities as reasons he could not remain Hokage, and Shikaku confirmed he already had two children.
• As they walked through Konoha, Tsunade observed the ongoing repairs and asked about Kakashi and Sasuke, and Tonbo assured her they were safe despite remaining unconscious.

Kakashi woke from his Genjutsu-induced injuries and warned that Itachi Uchiha's technique far surpassed Tobitake Tonbo's. Meanwhile, Orochimaru and Kabuto prepared to act against Konoha, with Orochimaru warning Kabuto that Tonbo might be even more dangerous than he was.

• Tsunade examined Kakashi, who woke and told Naruto and the others that Itachi Uchiha's Genjutsu had overwhelmed him.
• Kakashi said Itachi's Genjutsu could not be compared with Tobitake Tonbo's, prompting Tonbo to defend his own strength.
• Tsunade turned to Guy and prepared to help Rock Lee.
• Kabuto told Orochimaru that he had found a way through Konoha's barrier after Tonbo's changes had made their earlier preparations useless.
• Orochimaru warned Kabuto not to underestimate Tonbo or get close to him, and Kabuto said he had avoided Tonbo while arranging to invite Sasuke.

Orochimaru explained why he believed the Sharingan could evolve beyond the Rinnegan and intended to make Sasuke Uchiha his tool for shaping fate. At Konoha Hospital, Tsunade estimated Rock Lee’s operation had only a sixty percent chance of success, while Guy encouraged Lee to believe in a miracle.

• Orochimaru reflected on the Sharingan’s potential and said Sasuke Uchiha was an important bargaining chip in his plan to create his own Child of Prophecy.
• Tobitake Tonbo gave Tsunade his medical data on Rock Lee, and she estimated that surgery could succeed only sixty percent of the time, with failure meaning Lee’s death.
• Tobitake Tonbo suggested developing a technique to create protein cells to improve Lee’s chances, and Tsunade agreed while warning him not to learn Kabuto’s technique.
• Tsunade advised Rock Lee to consider giving up ninja training and living an ordinary life, but Guy urged him to believe in a miracle and promised to accompany him to the Pure Land if the operation failed.
• Rock Lee and Guy cried together, and Tsunade glared at Tobitake Tonbo after Guy echoed his earlier words about miracles.

Tsunade returned to Konoha and began preparing to take office as the Fifth Hokage while Tobitake Tonbo handed over his duties. Meanwhile, the young ninja continued training and showing how much they had improved under Tonbo’s instruction.

• The villagers celebrated the news that Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, had returned to become the Fifth Hokage.
• Neji demonstrated his powerful Rotation to Tenten and said he was developing a jutsu to address its lack of long-range offense.
• Kiba showed Shino his destructive Fang Wolf Fang technique, and Hinata told them Tsunade had returned.
• Choji impressed Choza in a spar and credited Asuma’s guidance and Tobitake Tonbo’s training for helping him recognize his weaknesses.
• Shikaku took Shikamaru to meet Tsunade, who listened as Tobitake Tonbo handed over Konoha’s official duties and unfinished work.

Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage while Tobitake Tonbo returned to his work and pursued a new ninjutsu project. As Konoha settled into peace, Shimura Danzō studied the village’s revised codes and continued to scheme for the Hokage position.

• Tsunade left Shikaku to handle the documents while she familiarized herself with Konoha’s affairs, and Tobitake Tonbo returned to lead the Analysis Division with a clone.
• Tobitake Tonbo tested a ninjutsu that let him travel through nerves spread across the ground, but his clone was destroyed before the technique succeeded.
• Konohamaru dismissed the news of Tsunade’s succession and focused on becoming stronger, while Maki watched him train.
• Tsunade was inaugurated as the Fifth Hokage, and Tobitake Tonbo told Tenyu and Maki not to call him Hokage anymore.
• Shimura Danzō received intelligence on Konoha’s revised code signals and studied the changes as he continued seeking control of the village.

Tobitake Tonbo witnessed Qiang, a Konoha Security Defense Department ninja, try to kill ANBU elite Qi Jie and learned that Qiang was a spy. He stopped Qiang’s soul-sealing technique and left Qi Jie safe while Qiang was trapped in his genjutsu.

• Qiang killed Xiang, burned the house, and fled, while Qi Jie arrived too late and set out to investigate him.
• Tobitake Tonbo concealed himself as Qiang and Qi Jie fought beside the river.
• Qiang used a sealing technique to pull Qi Jie’s soul from his body and claimed he had obtained a personal medium from Qi Jie’s home.
• Tobitake Tonbo appeared, stopped the sealing technique, and trapped Qiang in genjutsu after revealing he knew Qiang was a spy.
• Qi Jie regained control of his body and addressed Tobitake Tonbo.

Tobitake Tonbo read Qiang’s mind, uncovered his ties to the Hannya Corps, and left Qi Jie to take revenge. Meanwhile, Konoha rebuilt under Tsunade as she operated on Rock Lee, while Tobitake Tonbo anticipated the coming battle to bring Sasuke back.

• Tobitake Tonbo used the Mind Reading Technique on Qiang and learned that he had killed Qi Jie’s wife to obtain a bodily medium and spy on Konoha.
• Tobitake Tonbo discovered Qiang was a former member of the Hannya Corps who sought revenge by selling Konoha’s defensive intelligence, and learned the Soul-Body Separation Technique from his memories.
• Tobitake Tonbo told Qi Jie that Qiang had no useful information left, and Qi Jie removed his mask and killed him.
• Shikaku told Shikamaru that advising Tsunade had left him exhausted, though Konoha’s steady recovery reassured him.
• Tsunade operated on Rock Lee using a Medical Ninjutsu she had developed, while Guy anxiously waited outside and Tobitake Tonbo considered the coming battle to bring Sasuke back.

Tobitake Tonbo secretly monitored the Sound Four and gathered data on their abilities while ensuring Sasuke’s departure could follow its original course. After Sasuke accepted the Sound Four’s offer, he left Konoha, knocking Sakura unconscious on the way out.

• Tobitake Tonbo secretly placed the Sound Four under Genjutsu and collected data on their bodies and Cursed Seal potential.
• Tobitake Tonbo decided not to interfere with Sasuke’s established path, citing his wish to protect his family from danger.
• The Sound Four persuaded Sasuke to leave Konoha by showing him their Cursed Seals.
• Sakura waited for Sasuke beneath the moonlight, but Sasuke struck her unconscious and carried her to a roadside bench before leaving.

After Sakura reported Sasuke Uchiha’s disappearance, Tsunade sent Shikamaru Nara to lead a retrieval team, while the advisors refused to let Tobitake Tonbo leave Konoha. Tobitake secretly followed the team with four clones, intending to protect them and ensure Sasuke still reached Orochimaru, whose ability to take Sasuke’s body he had secretly blocked for three years.

• Kidomaru and three others traveled through the forest carrying large barrels and mocked the person Orochimaru feared for not noticing them.
• Konoha security ninja woke Sakura, who realized Sasuke was gone, and Tsunade ordered a retrieval mission.
• Utatane Tsubaki and Mitokado Homura argued that Konoha could not spare its remaining Jōnin or Tobitake Tonbo, so Tsunade summoned Shikamaru Nara to lead the mission.
• Shikamaru gathered a team that included Kiba Inuzuka and led them out of Konoha to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha.
• Tobitake Tonbo followed the team using four clones and revealed that he had tampered with Sasuke’s body to prevent Orochimaru from taking it for three years.

Konoha’s pursuit of Sasuke continued as Tsunade sent a recovered Rock Lee on a mission to protect the village. Meanwhile, Orochimaru dispatched Kabuto and Kimimaro to support the Sound Four, leaving his reincarnation plans dependent on their success.

• Kiba led Naruto, Shikamaru, and the others through the Sound Four’s traps, while Tobitake Tonbo followed with four clones.
• Tsunade checked Rock Lee’s recovery and sent him on an urgent mission to defend Konoha.
• Orochimaru told Kabuto he feared the Sound Four’s operation would fail and ordered him to help retrieve Sasuke.
• Kabuto brought Kimimaro along, and the two prepared to leave while Orochimaru’s body continued to weaken.
• Kabuto ordered the test subjects to fight to the death so the survivor could serve as a backup reincarnation vessel, then warned Kimimaro they might face Konoha’s elite.

Choji fought Jirobo alone so Shikamaru and the others could pursue Sasuke, using the combat experience from Tonbo-sensei’s training and his clan’s secret medicine to survive Jirobo’s increasingly powerful transformations. After Jirobo trapped him, endured his attacks, and drained his chakra, Choji swallowed the Chili Pill and grew butterfly wings, leaving their battle unresolved.

• Choji blocked Jirobo’s shuriken and stayed behind so Shikamaru and the others could chase Sasuke.
• Choji escaped Jirobo’s Earth Prison Dome with a clone and struck him from behind with a powerful blow and an Explosive Tag.
• Jirobo survived the explosion by transforming with Cursed Seal Level Two, and Choji swallowed the yellow secret pill to face his increased strength.
• Choji used Super Multi-Size Technique, but Jirobo’s Mud Doll caught his hand and began absorbing his chakra.
• Choji canceled the technique, swallowed the Chili Pill, and grew butterfly wings as Jirobo watched in surprise.

Tobitake Tonbo observed Choji defeat Jirobo and preserved Choji after he collapsed. Meanwhile, Shikamaru’s team pursued Sasuke, split up to get past Kidomaru, and Kiba charged ahead as Neji confronted the enemy.

• Tobitake Tonbo analyzed Jirobo’s Cursed Seal and Choji’s pills, gaining information he hoped to use for Sage Mode and Taijutsu.
• Choji crushed Jirobo with a leg drop, then collapsed after releasing his transformation.
• Tobitake Tonbo preserved Choji’s condition with the Illusory Body Technique and left his injuries for Tsunade to treat.
• Kidomaru set traps and concealed himself as Shikamaru’s team caught up, while Kiba and Akamaru and Neji scouted ahead.
• Shikamaru assigned Neji to face the enemy blocking their path and sent Kiba onward to deal with the stronger opponent.
• Kiba used Fang Over Fang to tear through Kidomaru’s traps as Shikamaru and Naruto followed, while a figure above them attacked with Gentle Fist.

Neji fought Kidomaru in the Battlefield Simulation while Shikamaru’s team continued toward Sasuke. Neji struck Kidomaru with Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm, but Kidomaru’s arrow hit a Shadow Clone, leaving the outcome of their close battle unresolved.

• Kidomaru fired Spider Gold arrows at Shikamaru and the others, but a kunai carrying an Explosive Tag intercepted them and let the group escape.
• Neji attacked Kidomaru with shuriken and Gentle Fist, while Kidomaru used his metallic body and spiderwebs to counter him.
• Tobitake Tonbo’s clone watched their battle and collected their physical data, noting how much Neji had improved through illusion training.
• Shikamaru urged Naruto and Kiba to trust Neji and stay focused on bringing Sasuke back, and Kiba agreed to remain steady.
• Kidomaru transformed, battered the forest with arrows, and searched for Neji, who concealed his presence and appeared close to him.
• Neji used Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm to strike Kidomaru, but the arrow hit Neji’s Shadow Clone, which vanished in smoke.

Neji killed Kidomaru with the Gentle Fist, while Tobitake Tonbo studied the body and gathered more data on the Cursed Seal. As Kimimaro took Sasuke toward Orochimaru, Naruto pursued him while Shikamaru and Kiba stayed behind to fight Sakon and Tayuya.

• Neji struck Kidomaru with the Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, killed him, and left to catch up with Shikamaru’s group.
• Tobitake Tonbo examined Kidomaru’s destroyed organs and chakra pathways, collected more Cursed Seal data, and joined his other clone to continue the pursuit.
• Kabuto sensed that something was wrong as he and Kimimaro hurried toward the others.
• Kimimaro met Sakon and Tayuya, took the barrel containing Sasuke, and left for Orochimaru.
• Naruto, Shikamaru, and Kiba caught up with Sakon and Tayuya; Naruto chased Kimimaro while Shikamaru and Kiba prepared to hold off the Sound ninja and Tayuya’s summoned Doki.

Tobitake Tonbo observed Kiba and Shikamaru fighting Sakon, Ukon, and Tayuya, then used the battle to study Sakon and Ukon’s body-splitting technique. He forced the brothers out of Kiba, but Shikamaru remained in danger against Tayuya.

• Kabuto hurried after Kimimaro while Rock Lee and Neji raced toward Naruto and Sasuke.
• Shikamaru used a Flash Tag to trap Sakon and Tayuya with his Shadow Imitation, while Kiba and Akamaru attacked alongside him.
• Sakon split his body into cellular-level particles and merged into Kiba, while Tayuya’s flute summoned illusory creatures to attack Shikamaru.
• Tobitake Tonbo spread his nerves through Kiba and the brothers, studying their technique before using Genjutsu to force Sakon and Ukon out of Kiba.
• Tobitake Tonbo restored the brothers’ bodies, but Shikamaru struggled to hold off Tayuya, whose Cursed Seal-enhanced strength countered his Shadow Neck Binding Technique.