Chapter Summaries

Plot and key events

• In Konoha Year 20, Tobirama Senju’s small party is pursued through the Land of Lightning by an elite Kumogakure force led by Kinkaku and Ginkaku. With only seven people and little chance of winning a direct fight, the group decides someone must stay behind as a decoy.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō volunteer together. Danzō insists that Tobirama, as Hokage, must survive, and Tobirama chooses him to cover the retreat.
• Kagami Uchiha, who knows this moment from the original story, is dismayed that events have changed because he encouraged Danzō to volunteer. He defies Tobirama’s order to evacuate and follows Danzō, leaving the rest of the party to break through.
• Danzō initially feels betrayed and confused by his fate, but Kagami’s arrival reassures him. When Danzō asks how Kagami anticipated events, Kagami claims his Mangekyō Sharingan lets him briefly foresee the future.
• The two prepare to face the approaching Kumogakure force together. As enemy shinobi surround them, both commit to fighting rather than retreating.

Character developments and interactions

• Danzō is presented as a sincere, self-sacrificing young ninja who puts Tobirama and the village first. His friendship with Kagami helps him overcome his resentment and face the danger with renewed resolve.
• Kagami is an experienced, clear-eyed observer who knows the story’s original outcome, but his intervention has unintended consequences. His loyalty to Danzō leads him to risk his own life rather than let his friend die alone.
• Tobirama recognizes Hiruzen’s devotion but is surprised by Danzō’s offer. He accepts Danzō’s sacrifice and orders the others to preserve it by escaping.
• Hiruzen volunteers but is stopped by Tobirama. He is reluctant to leave Danzō behind, though Tobirama frames accepting Danzō’s choice as respect for his ninja way.
• Kagami and Danzō share a close bond and similar ideals. Kagami’s support deepens Danzō’s trust in him, while Danzō privately resolves to protect Kagami.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and duty: The chapter centers on the cost of protecting comrades and the village.
• Friendship and loyalty: Kagami’s decision to join Danzō turns a solitary sacrifice into a shared stand.
• Fate versus choice: Kagami’s knowledge of the original story does not control events; his attempt to change them instead helps create a new outcome.
• Reputation and potential: The heroic Danzō contrasts with the darker figure he is destined to become, raising questions about how people and circumstances shape character.

Plot points and events

• Left behind to cover Tobirama Senju’s retreat, Kagami Uchiha and Danzō face the pursuing Kumogakure force, led by the brothers Kinkaku and Ginkaku. Kinkaku continues after Tobirama, leaving Ginkaku to deal with the pair.
• Kagami and Danzō fight back: Kagami kills a Chūnin and wounds Ginkaku with his Sharingan, while Danzō protects Kagami from a barrage of lightning attacks.
• A Kumogakure ninja ambushes Danzō and severs his right arm. Ginkaku then draws on the Nine-Tails’ chakra, becoming a powerful, feral opponent.
• Kagami reveals Susanoo and escalates it to its third form. After a clash, Susanoo defeats Ginkaku, who is crushed in a crater. Kagami then uses Yasaka Magatama to kill the remaining Kumogakure ninja.
• Kagami is badly drained, but he bandages Danzō’s wound. The two set out to rejoin Tobirama and continue their duty as his Shadow Guard.

Character developments and interactions

• Kagami shows calm resolve and formidable power, but the battle’s toll is clear: using Susanoo leaves him exhausted and bleeding from the eyes. Even so, he prioritizes Danzō’s safety and insists they continue.
• Danzō fights fiercely despite his injury, enduring the loss of his arm without surrendering. Kagami’s concern for him deepens his admiration and affection for his comrade.
• Ginkaku is initially arrogant, then becomes enraged when Kagami wounds him. His Nine-Tails-powered final attack shows his desperation, but he is ultimately overwhelmed.
• Kagami and Danzō support one another throughout the fight. Danzō shields Kagami from attacks; afterward Kagami treats Danzō’s wound, and they encourage each other before departing.

Significant themes

• Duty and loyalty: Kagami and Danzō risk their lives to protect Tobirama, viewing the mission as their responsibility.
• The cost of war: Danzō loses an arm, Kagami suffers severe exhaustion, and the battle ends with extensive deaths.
• Courage versus arrogance: Ginkaku’s confidence turns into a reckless last stand, while Kagami’s composure allows him to control the fight.
• Comradeship and mutual respect: Their shared danger strengthens the bond between Kagami and Danzō.

Key plot points and events

• Tobirama Senju and his exhausted party reach the border river while fleeing Kumo. Believing Danzo and Kagami have fallen buying them time, Tobirama orders Hiruzen, Homura, and the others to continue without him.
• Tobirama names Hiruzen the next Hokage and urges him to protect the village and guide its next generation. Hiruzen accepts, and the group escapes into the Land of the Moon.
• Tobirama stays behind and faces Kinkaku and twenty Kumogakure shinobi alone. He blocks Kinkaku’s fire, counters with a massive Water Release, and diverts a devastating Tailed Beast Bomb with Triple Rashomon, but is nearly out of Chakra.
• Just as a Kumo Jonin is about to kill him, Kagami returns with a newly awakened Mangekyō Sharingan and Susanoo. Danzo also appears, badly wounded and missing an arm. They reveal that Ginkaku has been killed.
• Enraged by his brother’s death, Kinkaku attacks. Kagami holds him off with Susanoo while Danzo and the Kumo forces clash around them. When Kinkaku’s Chakra falters, Kagami knocks him down, allowing Tobirama to use Flying Thunder God and kill him.
• With both brothers dead, the remaining Kumo shinobi flee. The three survivors treat their injuries and head back to Konoha.

Character developments

• Tobirama shows his commitment to Konoha by offering himself as a decoy and entrusting the village’s future to Hiruzen. Though exhausted and close to death, he remains composed and decisive in battle.
• Hiruzen moves from grief and guilt over Danzo and Kagami to accepting the responsibility of becoming Hokage. Tobirama’s faith in him gives him a clear purpose.
• Kagami survives and awakens the Mangekyō Sharingan after seeing Danzo lose an arm protecting him. He uses Susanoo to save Tobirama and confront Kinkaku, though the strain nearly exhausts him.
• Danzo survives despite losing an arm. His sacrifice and return reveal his loyalty to his comrades and the village, even as his dry humor and suspicion of Kagami remain.
• Kinkaku, driven by grief and rage over Ginkaku’s death, loses control of himself and is ultimately defeated when his immense power wanes.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice for the village: Tobirama, Danzo, and Kagami risk their lives so others can survive.
• Passing on responsibility: Tobirama’s appointment of Hiruzen marks the transfer of leadership and the Will of Fire to a new generation.
• Loyalty and reconciliation: Kagami’s devotion to Konoha—and Tobirama’s regret over the divisions facing the Uchiha—suggest the possibility of a better relationship between the clan and the village.
• The cost of power: The battle’s strongest techniques, including the Tailed Beast Bomb and Susanoo, consume enormous Chakra and leave their users vulnerable.

Character interactions

• Tobirama and Hiruzen share a pivotal farewell: Hiruzen wants to stay, but Tobirama insists he live and lead.
• Tobirama privately mourns Danzo and Kagami, acknowledging the heavy cost of the mission and his hope that Kagami might have helped prevent future Uchiha–Konoha conflict.
• Kagami and Danzo return in time to save Tobirama, and their teamwork turns a desperate fight into a victory.
• After the battle, Tobirama questions Kagami about his Mangekyō awakening but chooses not to press him, prioritizing their survival and return to Konoha.

Key events

• Hiruzen Sarutobi and three surviving members of the Shadow Guard return to Konoha after the failed peace talks in the Land of Lightning. Danzo and Kagami are dead; Tobirama stayed behind to let the others escape, and his fate is unknown.
• Seeing ordinary villagers going about their lives, Hiruzen silently vows to protect Konoha’s peace. He suppresses his grief and quickly organizes a briefing for the village’s clans and jonin.
• Hiruzen deliberately leaves the Uchiha out of the initial summons, judging their position delicate and citing Tobirama’s distrust of the clan. Mito Uzumaki objects: excluding them, especially after Kagami’s death, risks worsening relations.
• Mito learns that Tobirama named Hiruzen as his successor before staying behind. She supports announcing Hiruzen as the Third Hokage, believing stability is essential.
• At the Hokage Building, Hiruzen reports the rebellion by Kinkaku and Ginkaku, the Second Raikage’s death, the pursuit by Kumogakure forces, and the losses of Danzo and Kagami. He cannot confirm whether Tobirama survived.
• Uchiha elder Setsuna accuses Hiruzen of abandoning Tobirama. Mito silences the hall with her chakra and announces Tobirama’s choice of successor, but Setsuna challenges the legitimacy of the appointment and attacks Hiruzen’s fitness to lead. The meeting ends amid renewed division.

Character developments and interactions

• Hiruzen moves from grieving student to reluctant political leader. He takes command of the immediate response but makes a contentious decision by excluding the Uchiha, then faces public accusations of cowardice.
• Mito acts as a stabilizing authority, balancing grief with the need to protect the village and prevent disorder. She supports Hiruzen’s succession but cautions him against alienating the Uchiha.
• Tobirama, though absent, is portrayed as sacrificing himself for Konoha and entrusting its future to Hiruzen, whom he considered a steady, gentle leader.
• Setsuna becomes Hiruzen’s outspoken opponent, turning uncertainty over Tobirama’s fate and the succession into a broader challenge to Senju influence and Hiruzen’s legitimacy.
• The returning companions share grief over Danzo and Kagami’s deaths, while the assembled clans and jonin react with shock, anger, and suspicion.

Significant themes

• Duty and sacrifice: Tobirama stays behind for the village, while Hiruzen must carry forward the responsibility entrusted to him.
• Leadership and legitimacy: Tobirama’s choice and Mito’s endorsement are not enough to secure acceptance; Hiruzen’s conduct and the process of succession are questioned.
• Unity versus clan tension: Excluding the Uchiha threatens to deepen an existing divide, while Setsuna frames the appointment as Senju control.
• Peace under threat: Konoha’s everyday calm contrasts sharply with the war, the unknown fate of its Hokage, and the political crisis unfolding within the village.

Key plot points and events

• Hiruzen Sarutobi’s proposed succession as Third Hokage is rejected after a chaotic Assembly Hall debate. Clan leaders, led by Uchiha Setsuna, challenge both Hiruzen’s suitability and Mito Uzumaki’s authority.
• Three days later, Tobirama Senju returns to Konoha alive with Kagami Uchiha and Shimura Danzō. All three are badly injured; Danzō has lost his right arm. The elite peace delegation was largely destroyed in an ambush in the Land of Lightning.
• The village’s grief and anxiety turn to celebration when Tobirama’s return becomes known. He calms the crowds and says he will explain the mission’s events later.
• Tobirama sends Danzō and Kagami home to recover, then meets Mito. She tells him Hiruzen’s succession has been put on hold amid clan opposition. Tobirama agrees to defer the succession question and prioritize village unity and defense against a possible Kumogakure attack.
• Kagami returns to the Uchiha compound, where younger clan members welcome him as a respected survivor. An elder asks him to attend a clan meeting, as his relationship with the village may affect the balance between Uchiha factions.

Character developments and interactions

• Tobirama returns exhausted but composed, accepting responsibility for the succession crisis and focusing on Konoha’s immediate security. He believes Kagami may help restrain the Uchiha Hawk Faction.
• Mito is troubled by the Assembly Hall’s challenge to her influence, but shifts to practical concerns once Tobirama returns.
• Danzō is gravely wounded and emotionally withdrawn; he obeys Tobirama’s instructions and leaves for his clan compound.
• Kagami remains calm and considerate despite his injuries. His welcome reveals the admiration younger Uchiha feel for him, while the elder’s invitation and the guarded looks signal political expectations around him.
• Tobirama and Mito discuss the succession dispute and the need to unite the village; Tobirama and Kagami part on formal, respectful terms; Kagami and his clan reunite amid relief and emerging factional tension.

Significant themes

• Leadership and legitimacy: The Hokage succession depends not only on Mito’s endorsement but on the clans’ acceptance.
• Unity versus factionalism: Konoha must overcome internal disputes as the threat from Kumogakure grows.
• Duty and loss: Tobirama’s return is celebrated, but he remains burdened by the dead ninja and the failed mission.
• Belonging and divided loyalties: Kagami’s ties to both the Uchiha and the village make him a potential bridge—and a figure caught between competing interests.

Key plot points and events

• Kagami Uchiha attends a clan council meeting after recovering from his recent battle. When asked about the mission in the Land of Lightning, he refuses to share details, saying the Hokage will brief them.
• Uchiha Setsuna accuses Kagami of neglecting the clan and argues for radical action against Konoha. Kagami sharply condemns Setsuna’s coup and assassination ideas, and calls for the clan to end its internal Hawk and Dove factions.
• Setsuna attacks, but Kagami reveals his Mangekyō Sharingan, stunning the clan leaders. Setsuna immediately shifts from anger to asking whether Kagami can help seize Konoha. Kagami rejects the idea, warning that Tobirama already knows of his power and that overusing his eyes could make him blind.
• With the clan leaders now deferential to his strength, Kagami lays out three priorities: end factionalism, seek the Hokage position through legitimate means, and improve the Uchiha’s reputation in the village. He leaves them with a cryptic warning about the limits of their understanding and his vision of the future.
• The next day, Kagami sees that life in the Uchiha district has returned to its cheerful rhythm, while Konoha’s ninja remain tense over the likelihood of renewed conflict with Kumogakure.
• Kagami visits Danzo, who survived the battle but lost his right arm. Hiruzen, Koharu, Homura, and Torifu are also there. Hiruzen promises to seek a way to restore Danzo’s career, and Danzo thanks Kagami for saving him. Kagami tells him they can train together once he recovers.
• Hiruzen seems unsettled by how close Kagami and Danzo are and leaves to see Tobirama. Kagami wonders whether Tobirama’s research into Hashirama’s cells could restore Danzo’s arm. The chapter ends as a childlike voice calls out to Kagami by the Naka River.

Character developments and interactions

• Kagami emerges as a forceful political leader: he confronts the clan’s extremists, advocates unity and integration with Konoha, and gains the elders’ attention through both his arguments and Mangekyō Sharingan. His restraint also shows awareness of the eye’s cost and the danger of provoking Tobirama.
• Setsuna shifts quickly from hostility toward Kagami to enthusiasm for using his power in a coup, revealing that his loyalty is driven largely by strength and ambition.
• Rei and Yo initially question or caution Kagami, but after his Mangekyō is revealed they become receptive to his leadership and proposals.
• Danzo is physically weakened but remains determined to continue as a ninja. His sincere gratitude highlights his close bond with Kagami.
• Hiruzen expresses relief and admiration for Kagami, but appears troubled by Kagami and Danzo’s closeness.

Significant themes

• Clan unity versus factionalism: Kagami argues that internal divisions are weakening the Uchiha.
• Power and legitimacy: The elders’ sudden willingness to follow Kagami illustrates how strongly authority within the clan depends on strength; Kagami, however, urges political change through the Hokage office rather than a coup.
• Reputation and belonging: Kagami stresses that the Uchiha must improve how they relate to other villagers if they hope to lead Konoha.
• Limits of perception and power: Kagami’s parting remark about people living within their own understanding echoes the risks of political certainty, while the Mangekyō’s potential to cause blindness underscores the price of power.
• Recovery amid looming conflict: Everyday life has resumed, but uncertainty over war remains beneath Konoha’s calm.

Key plot points and events

• Young Tsunade seeks out Kagami Uchiha, eager to meet the shinobi rumored to have defeated Kumogakure’s forces and saved Tobirama. She praises his strength and appearance before a Senju escort takes her home.
• Mito Uzumaki teases Tsunade about sneaking off to meet Kagami. Tsunade describes him as handsome and dependable, prompting Mito to joke that the Senju need a rule against staring at attractive Uchiha.
• At the Hokage’s office, Hiruzen asks Tobirama to withdraw his appointment as Third Hokage now that Tobirama has returned. Tobirama explains that Hiruzen remains a possible successor, but Kagami is also under consideration.
• Tobirama reveals that Kagami awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and killed Kinkaku and Ginkaku. He believes Kagami could help reconcile the Uchiha and the village, but will watch him carefully and stop him if he becomes a threat. Hiruzen pledges to support Kagami if he passes Tobirama’s test and to defend Konoha if he does not.
• Tobirama gives Hiruzen a letter from Kumogakure’s new Third Raikage. It apologizes for Kinkaku and Ginkaku’s actions, promises tighter control of its forces, reaffirms peace, and proposes a visit to Konoha to settle border matters. Tobirama plans to raise the offer at the next Full Jōnin Meeting.

Character developments and interactions

• Tsunade’s curiosity about Kagami turns into clear admiration; she is impressed by both his looks and character. Her affectionate, playful exchange with Mito shows their closeness.
• Mito’s humor reveals her suspicion—and amusement—about the Uchiha’s ability to fascinate Senju, recalling Hashirama’s attachment to Madara.
• Tobirama shows that, despite his distrust of the Uchiha as a clan, he is willing to consider Kagami for leadership based on his individual character and usefulness to Konoha. His pragmatism is tempered by vigilance.
• Hiruzen initially tries to step aside but accepts Tobirama’s judgment and commits himself to the village’s needs.
• The Third Raikage’s letter introduces a possible diplomatic opening after the recent violence, though Hiruzen remains wary.

Significant themes

• Loyalty to the village over clan or personal ambition: Tobirama considers an Uchiha Hokage if it serves Konoha, while Hiruzen accepts a supporting role.
• Trust, power, and accountability: Kagami’s extraordinary abilities make him a potential leader and a potential danger; Tobirama insists that power must be guided and monitored.
• Reconciliation after conflict: Kumogakure’s apology and proposed negotiations offer a chance to restore peace, but the recent losses leave room for distrust.
• Humor and admiration: Tsunade and Mito’s lighthearted scene contrasts with the serious political questions surrounding succession and security.

Plot and key events

• Following Tobirama Senju’s return from peace talks in the Land of Lightning, Konoha’s Jonin gather for a meeting amid rumors that Hiruzen Sarutobi and his companions abandoned Tobirama during Kumogakure’s ambush.
• Uchiha Tsukiyama publicly berates Hiruzen and Torifu Akimichi, while Uchiha Setsuna escalates the dispute by accusing Hiruzen of deliberately trying to get Tobirama killed. The Hokage’s summons ends the confrontation.
• At the meeting, Tobirama firmly dismisses the abandonment rumors, explaining that Hiruzen’s group withdrew on his orders. He then reports that Kinkaku and Ginkaku acted without Kumogakure’s leadership’s authorization, and that the new Third Raikage has offered to visit Konoha to demonstrate his commitment to peace.
• The Jonin debate whether to welcome the Raikage. Kagami Uchiha proposes compensation for the attack’s victims and a visit to Konoha’s Memorial Stone, while urging restraint: the village needs time to recover, and renewed war could draw in other enemies. Tobirama accepts his proposal and assigns leaders to handle the visit, security, and negotiations.
• After the meeting, Tobirama privately asks Kagami how he sees the relationship between the Uchiha clan and Konoha.

Character developments and interactions

• Hiruzen accepts responsibility for the crisis publicly, but Tobirama’s clarification vindicates him and protects him from the spreading accusation.
• Tobirama shows decisive leadership: he shuts down damaging rumors, manages anger toward Kumogakure, and pursues peace without neglecting security or Konoha’s losses.
• Kagami demonstrates measured judgment and diplomacy. In private, he acknowledges his deep bond with the Uchiha but declares that he would put Konoha’s safety first if clan and village interests ever conflicted. Tobirama’s approval suggests he sees Kagami as unusually trustworthy.
• Setsuna and Tsukiyama voice Uchiha resentment toward Konoha’s leadership, creating a sharp contrast with Kagami’s loyalty to the village. Torifu’s anger nearly turns the argument into a fight before Hiruzen intervenes.

Significant themes

• Village unity versus clan loyalty: Kagami argues that the Uchiha can only prosper if Konoha survives, while Setsuna’s defiance reflects deepening distrust.
• Peace balanced against justice and preparedness: The Jonin favor diplomacy, but insist Kumogakure answer for the dead and that Konoha remain vigilant.
• Leadership, accountability, and rumor: Hiruzen accepts blame, while Tobirama uses his authority to correct misinformation and prevent internal conflict.
• The cost of war: The attack’s victims and Konoha’s need to rebuild shape the case for avoiding another conflict.

Key plot points and events

• Tobirama praises Kagami for putting Konoha’s interests above Uchiha grievances. He explains that the Military Police Force was entrusted to the Uchiha out of confidence, and urges Kagami to remain worthy of that trust.
• Kagami promises not to disappoint Tobirama, but privately resolves to rise to the Hokage’s position. He believes only someone with power to shape the village’s rules can protect the Uchiha and change their future.
• Half a month later, Konoha braces for a Kumogakure peace delegation, with heightened patrols and activity at the Hokage Building. The delegation arrives under the leadership of the Third Raikage, A.
• Konoha civilians greet the visitors with abuse and violence, blaming the Land of Lightning for Kinkaku and Ginkaku’s rebellion and for personal wartime losses. Tokuma Hyuga tries to restore order, but the crowd also taunts him with rumors about the Hyuga clan.
• The Kumogakure shinobi suppress their anger to avoid jeopardizing the peace mission. Tokuma and Shikata Nara escort them through the crowd to the Hokage Building.
• Tobirama and A exchange controlled, formal greetings. Kagami observes the Raikage closely and recognizes that his immense strength and authority may be as important to his decision to visit as diplomacy.

Character developments

• Kagami outwardly accepts Tobirama’s trust and the Will of Fire, while privately revealing a more ambitious, pragmatic goal: becoming Hokage and reshaping Konoha.
• Tobirama shows rare warmth and pride toward Kagami, positioning him as a potential bridge between the Uchiha clan and the village.
• The Third Raikage appears disciplined and formidable, maintaining composure despite the delegation’s hostile reception.
• Tokuma Hyuga attempts to act as a mediator but is visibly angered and unsettled by the crowd’s attacks on both his family and clan.

Significant themes

• Loyalty versus ambition: Kagami embraces the village’s ideals while intending to gain power to direct its future.
• Peace and prejudice: The diplomatic mission contrasts with civilians’ unresolved grief and hostility.
• Public harmony versus hidden conflict: Konoha looks peaceful, but political rivalries, personal agendas, and resentment simmer beneath the surface.
• Power and diplomacy: The Raikage’s military reputation shapes the encounter even as both leaders observe diplomatic protocol.

Character interactions

• Tobirama and Kagami share a serious mentor–protégé exchange about trust, clan grievances, and service to Konoha.
• Civilians confront and insult the Kumogakure delegation; Tokuma intervenes, only to be personally targeted by accusations and rumors.
• Shikata reluctantly joins Tokuma in escorting the delegation out of the hostile crowd.
• Tobirama and A exchange restrained courtesies, while Kagami silently assesses the Raikage’s strength and motives.

Key plot points and events

• Konoha and Kumogakure negotiate a nonaggression treaty after their conflict. Shikata Nara demands a public apology for Kinkaku and Ginkaku’s actions, two billion ryo in reparations, and Kumogakure’s scientific ninja-tool research.
• Third Raikage A rejects the full demands but offers an apology, one billion ryo paid over five years, and the requested blueprints in exchange for the return of the Six Paths Tools. He warns that Kumogakure will fight rather than accept further terms.
• Tobirama accepts the compromise, and the treaty is finalized.
• A asks to meet the young Konoha ninja who killed Ginkaku. Tobirama identifies him as Kagami Uchiha, whose youth and composure impress—and quietly alarm—the Raikage.
• After the Kumogakure delegation leaves, ten-year-old Tsunade rushes into the conference room and is surprised to find Kagami there. Her shy, affectionate reaction prompts Tobirama to confront him, while Tsunade angrily defends Kagami.

Character developments and interactions

• Tobirama leads negotiations firmly and pragmatically, accepting a compromise once it secures peace. His stern composure gives way to protective jealousy when he notices Tsunade’s feelings for Kagami.
• Shikata Nara acts as Konoha’s sharp negotiator, presenting severe terms that force Kumogakure to bargain.
• Third Raikage A shows both resolve and diplomatic restraint: he resists demands he considers excessive, accepts the settlement, and openly admires Kagami, though he privately fears his future potential.
• Kagami Uchiha is revealed as the young warrior responsible for Ginkaku’s death. He remains courteous and self-possessed under the Raikage’s scrutiny, then greets Tsunade warmly.
• Tsunade shifts from delighted surprise to bashful affection, then boldly stands up for Kagami against Tobirama.
• Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru arrive after Tsunade, having followed her into the room; Hiruzen apologizes for their students’ interruption.

Significant themes

• Peace through costly compromise: The treaty ends hostilities, but only after both sides make concessions and assert their limits.
• Power and fear of future potential: Kagami’s achievement makes him a source of pride for Konoha and a strategic concern for Kumogakure.
• Public duty versus private affection: The chapter moves from high-stakes diplomacy to a family dispute, contrasting political responsibility with personal attachment.
• Protectiveness and growing affection: Tsunade’s defense of Kagami hints at a developing bond, while Tobirama’s reaction adds comic tension to the otherwise serious negotiations.

Key plot points and events

• In the Hokage’s office, Tsunade defends Kagami Uchiha when Tobirama questions his influence over her. Her tears quickly give way to a sharp glare at Jiraiya, revealing that her emotional appeal was partly an act.
• Kagami calms the situation by reminding Tsunade that Tobirama is worried about her. He observes how young and unformed Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru still are compared with the legendary shinobi they will become.
• The newly graduated trio receives a C-rank mission to eliminate raiders near the Land of Fire’s eastern border. Tsunade insists Kagami lead them; he agrees to mentor them, and Tobirama reluctantly approves.
• At the village gate, Kagami warns the children that even seemingly minor enemies can be dangerous, and orders them to follow his instructions. The squad sets out.
• At the Mountain Graveyard, White Zetsu reports that Tobirama survived the battle with Kinkaku and Ginkaku, Kagami killed Ginkaku with Susanoo, and Konoha and Kumogakure have signed a ceasefire. Madara directs Zetsu to focus on Kirigakure and wonders whether Kagami has learned the truth from the Uchiha tablet. He remains intent on obtaining the Rinnegan and realizing his vision of peace.

Character developments and interactions

• Tsunade openly favors Kagami and uses her closeness to Tobirama to get her way. Her boldness and affection show through both her protective stand in the office and her insistence that Kagami accompany the team.
• Tobirama is stern and suspicious of Kagami, but his affection for Tsunade softens his response. He finally permits the mission despite his jealousy and misgivings.
• Kagami remains composed and considerate, defusing the family tension and accepting responsibility for guiding the three young Genin. He recognizes their potential while understanding that they have not yet been shaped by future hardships.
• Jiraiya is restless and thrilled by the prospect of a first real mission; he is also bewildered by Tsunade’s behavior. Orochimaru appears reserved and observant, but is eager to test his abilities.
• Madara treats Kagami’s Mangekyō awakening and the new ceasefire as developments to monitor, while continuing to pursue his long-term plan.

Significant themes

• Affection and loyalty: Tsunade’s attachment to Kagami challenges Tobirama’s authority and makes their family dynamic both comic and tense.
• Potential versus fate: The future Sannin are still children, and Kagami sees how much they have yet to become.
• Mentorship and responsibility: Kagami’s leadership marks the trio’s transition from academy graduates to working shinobi.
• Peace and manipulation: The ceasefire brings temporary calm, but Madara’s secret ambitions suggest that peace may be fragile and contested.

Key plot points and events

• On a C-rank mission in the forest, Kagami warns Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade not to mistake the assignment for an easy outing. The deserted road and scattered tracks suggest the bandits are experienced and cautious.
• The group discovers more than a dozen bandits preparing to ambush a merchant caravan. Kagami assigns targets, and the three youngsters launch a surprise attack.
• Jiraiya’s Fire Release and Orochimaru’s Wind Release overwhelm the bandits’ defenses. Tsunade stops a charging attacker with a single powerful punch, impressing and alarming Jiraiya.
• As the group relaxes, a wounded bandit who had feigned death attacks Orochimaru from behind with a poisoned dagger. Kagami intercepts and kills him, then orders the children to check every body.
• Around the campfire, the shaken youngsters reflect on the violence and danger they have witnessed. Kagami explains that a ninja’s duty is to protect others, and that they must grow stronger and more vigilant to keep their comrades alive.

Character developments

• Jiraiya begins the mission casually but becomes alert when Kagami points out the warning signs. The near-loss of Orochimaru leaves him shaken and concerned.
• Orochimaru demonstrates precision and tactical skill, but the ambush exposes his vulnerability when his Chakra is depleted. The experience prompts him to contemplate how fragile life is.
• Tsunade shows eagerness for combat and overwhelming strength, but the bandit’s deception unsettles her and challenges her idealized view of ninja life.
• Kagami acts as both capable leader and mentor: he trains the youngsters through the fight, intervenes when Orochimaru is in danger, and helps them process the mission’s emotional weight.

Significant themes

• Vigilance and survival: A fight is not over until every enemy is confirmed dead; deception, poison, and surprise attacks are part of a ninja’s world.
• The cost of duty: Protecting the village can require killing and carrying guilt and pain.
• Comradeship and responsibility: Strength and carelessness affect not only oneself but also the lives of teammates.
• Loss of innocence: The children’s first real fight forces them to confront violence beyond the heroic, uncomplicated image they held of being ninja.

Character interactions

• Kagami praises Orochimaru’s observations and gives all three children roles in the ambush, treating the encounter as both a mission and a lesson.
• Tsunade seeks Kagami’s approval after her punch; he praises her strength but cautions her to control her Chakra.
• Jiraiya and Orochimaru share a relieved moment after the fight, only to be jolted by the surviving bandit’s attack.
• Kagami’s calm rescue of Orochimaru contrasts with his stern orders afterward, reinforcing that safety depends on discipline.
• At the campfire, Kagami listens to the children’s fear and offers a sober explanation of their duty, helping them begin to make sense of what happened.

Key plot points and events

• On returning to Konoha, Kagami, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade find the village tense and heavily guarded. They learn that Second Hokage Tobirama Senju has collapsed after coughing up blood.
• Tsunade rushes to the Hokage Building in panic. Jiraiya and Orochimaru follow, while Kagami lingers, troubled by the thought that Tobirama’s death may be unavoidable.
• At Tobirama’s bedside, Tsunade grieves beside him, and Mito Uzumaki, Hiruzen, Danzō, and the other former students gather in silence. Tobirama wakes briefly and speaks privately with Kagami.
• Tobirama praises Kagami’s loyalty and the Will of Fire, then acknowledges that the Uchiha are not inherently evil: their deep capacity for love can turn to hatred after profound loss. He admits his fear of the clan was shaped by Madara and suggests that he, too, may need to change.
• Tobirama asks Mito to summon the major clan heads and senior Jonin, saying he has something important to tell them. She sends Anbu to gather them, and Konoha’s leaders assemble outside the Hokage Office, awaiting his final words.

Character developments

• Kagami is torn between grief for Tobirama and anger at the suffering produced by the shinobi world. His thoughts turn toward whether Konoha’s leaders—or the world itself—are responsible for its tragedies.
• Tsunade, still only ten, is devastated by the possible loss of her granduncle, following the earlier death of her grandfather, Hashirama.
• Tobirama shows vulnerability and late-life self-reflection, reconsidering his prejudice toward the Uchiha and voicing a desire to change.
• Mito moves from grief to resolve, carrying out Tobirama’s final request.
• Hiruzen, Danzō, and Tobirama’s other students are shown confronting the frailty of the mentor they had regarded as dependable and strong.

Significant themes

• Grief and loss: Tsunade’s anguish and the gathered village’s silence underscore how war and death shape even the youngest lives.
• Love, trauma, and hatred: Tobirama explains how intense love can become hatred when lost, while framing the Sharingan as a consequence of emotional trauma.
• Prejudice and change: Tobirama’s reassessment of the Uchiha suggests that even entrenched beliefs can be challenged.
• The cost of the shinobi world: Kagami questions what Konoha has protected and whether the cycle of suffering reflects deeper corruption in the world itself.
• Duty beyond death: Tobirama’s final concern is the village’s future, not his personal affairs.

Character interactions

• Tsunade’s desperate rush and bedside sobbing reveal her deep attachment to Tobirama; Jiraiya and Orochimaru respond with alarm and follow her.
• Tobirama and Kagami share a quiet, intimate farewell: Tobirama entrusts him with an honest assessment of the Uchiha, while Kagami answers through his presence and a firm hold of his hand.
• Tobirama asks Mito to assemble Konoha’s leaders; she understands the gravity of his purpose and acts with renewed authority.
• Clan representatives—including the Uchiha—gather alongside Konoha’s senior ninja, united in grief and waiting for Tobirama’s final address.

Summary

Plot and key events

• As Tobirama Senju lies dying, he asks that Konoha’s clan heads—not the assembled Jonin—be brought to his bedside.
• He declares Kagami Uchiha the village’s Third Hokage, stunning the room. He urges Hiruzen, Danzō, Homura, Koharu, and Torifu to support Kagami and protect Konoha.
• Tobirama calls on the clans to set aside old rivalries and work together, saying the Will of Fire belongs to no single person or clan.
• After thanking Mito, Tobirama dies. The succession announcement sparks shock and political uncertainty throughout the corridor, before Tsunade’s grief turns the gathering toward mourning.

Character developments and interactions

• Kagami is overwhelmed by Tobirama’s choice and remains kneeling beside him in grief. He inherits both the Hokage’s authority and the burden of uniting the village.
• Hiruzen suppresses his own reaction and remembers Tobirama’s private warning: if the Uchiha threaten Konoha, Hiruzen must act against them. He accepts this duty despite the uncertainty it brings.
• Danzō is surprised but not jealous; he resolves to serve as Kagami’s ally and protect him from threats.
• Uchiha Setsuna reacts with open joy, while Tokuma Hyuga worries that Uchiha leadership could weaken the other clans’ influence. The clan heads’ contrasting responses expose the political divisions Tobirama hopes to overcome.
• Mito stays at Tobirama’s side, and Tsunade, awakened by the commotion, rushes to mourn him. Her cries break through the political debate and prompt the gathered shinobi to grieve together.

Significant themes

• Legacy and succession: Tobirama’s final choice transfers leadership to a new generation.
• Unity over clan rivalry: He frames Konoha as a shared home and the Will of Fire as a collective inheritance.
• Trust and vigilance: His faith in Kagami is paired with a private safeguard in Hiruzen, leaving the future of Uchiha leadership uncertain.
• Grief amid political upheaval: The village’s shock over the succession gives way to shared mourning for its fallen Hokage.

Key plot points

• Konoha mourns the death of Second Hokage Tobirama Senju in cold, steady rain. Ten-year-old Tsunade grieves at the memorial, and Kagami Uchiha quietly comforts her by shielding her and giving her his cloak.
• Tobirama’s funeral marks the end of an era built on the ideals of the First and Second Hokage.
• News of Tobirama’s death spreads across the shinobi world. Leaders in Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure reflect on his legacy and worry about the political instability his death may bring.
• Kumogakure learns that Kagami Uchiha has been chosen as Konoha’s new Hokage. The Third Raikage recognizes him as the young warrior who killed Ginkaku and a potential threat.
• Madara Uchiha reacts to Tobirama’s death with loneliness rather than triumph, and finds Kagami’s succession intriguing.
• After the funeral, Kagami takes his place at the Hokage’s desk, resolves to lead without hesitation, and orders Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō to appear before him within fifteen minutes.

Character developments and interactions

• Kagami shifts from Tobirama’s shadow guard to Konoha’s Third Hokage. His quiet tenderness toward Tsunade contrasts with the cold authority he displays as leader.
• Tsunade is overwhelmed by grief and turns to Kagami for comfort, addressing him as “Big Brother.”
• Hiruzen, Danzō, Homura, Koharu, and Torifu mourn Tobirama together, visibly burdened by the loss of their teacher and mentor.
• Ōnoki recalls Tobirama as a formidable enemy and feels regret and unease rather than satisfaction at his death.
• The Third Raikage doubts the durability of the peace treaty without Tobirama and views Kagami as a serious danger.
• Shamon sees Tobirama’s death as the closing of an era and reflects that he is the last surviving leader of his generation.
• The Third Mizukage privately vows to protect Kirigakure after the upheaval left by his predecessor.
• Madara mourns the loss of his last worthy rival and is amused that Tobirama entrusted Konoha to an Uchiha.

Significant themes

• The end of an era: Tobirama’s death closes a chapter of Konoha’s founding generation and unsettles the wider world.
• Grief and duty: Private mourning gives way to the responsibility of leadership.
• Power and political uncertainty: The succession raises questions about peace, rival villages, and Konoha’s future.
• Legacy and change: Kagami inherits Tobirama’s office and burden, but signals that his own era—and potentially a new direction for Konoha—has begun.

Key plot points and events

• Newly appointed Hokage Kagami Uchiha meets with Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō, stressing the instability following Tobirama’s death and the need to protect Konoha.
• Kagami creates Root, a clandestine department tasked with internal security, assassinations, and intelligence gathering. Its members are to act as obedient tools without personal attachments.
• He appoints Hiruzen to lead Root. Hiruzen accepts the morally heavy responsibility, promising to direct its violence against the village’s enemies rather than Konoha itself.
• Danzō is disappointed that Root is not his, but Kagami explains that Danzō’s recent wounds and missing arm make the role too burdensome.
• Kagami reveals plans to restart Tobirama’s secret research into Hashirama-cell transplants, hoping it can restore Danzō’s arm.
• Kagami appoints Danzō to lead a newly centralized Intelligence Department, coordinating Konoha’s intelligence networks and risk assessments. Danzō pledges his loyalty to Kagami and the village.
• Danzō raises concerns about Kagami’s Uchiha clan. Kagami says he has already made arrangements, though he keeps the details private. Danzō predicts Kagami will become the Third Hokage.
• Kagami ends the meeting by sending Danzō home to recover and plans to announce the new appointments at a Jonin meeting.

Character developments

• Kagami establishes himself as a decisive, reform-minded Hokage, balancing hardline security measures with personal care for his trusted allies. He remains alert to the political challenge posed by his own clan.
• Hiruzen accepts a morally troubling leadership role, showing humility and loyalty while insisting that Root must not turn its violence against Konoha.
• Danzō moves from frustration and disappointment to renewed purpose. Kagami’s concern for his health and offer of a major intelligence role deepen Danzō’s gratitude and loyalty.

Significant themes

• Security and moral compromise: Konoha’s survival is presented as requiring covert violence, raising questions about the cost of protecting the village.
• Trust and loyalty: Kagami assigns responsibilities according to each man’s strengths while maintaining personal bonds with both.
• Power and responsibility: Root’s reach and the Intelligence Department’s authority could safeguard the village, but both carry serious risks.
• Reform and recovery: Kagami aims to rebuild Konoha’s institutions while also restoring Danzō’s lost strength.

Character interactions

• Kagami tests Hiruzen’s willingness to serve under his authority, then entrusts him with Root; Hiruzen responds with respectful acceptance and a stated ethical limit.
• Kagami comforts Danzō over losing Root, explains his concern for Danzō’s health, and offers him a different but influential role.
• Their conversation shifts from formal Hokage-subordinate protocol to brotherly warmth, underscoring Kagami and Danzō’s longstanding personal bond.
• Danzō’s concern about the Uchiha reveals the political tension between Kagami’s clan identity and his duties as Hokage.

Key plot points and events

• Kagami Uchiha convenes Konoha’s clan leaders and remaining Jonin after becoming Third Hokage. Mito Uzumaki attends, and her presence quickly silences shinobi who disparage Tobirama or the Uchiha.
• Kagami enters with Hiruzen Sarutobi and the injured Danzō. He explains that Tobirama chose him and asks Mito to become Hokage Advisor. Mito declines, saying she wants only to watch over the village, but publicly affirms Kagami’s qualifications and legitimacy.
• Kagami announces plans to expand medical-ninja training and establish a unified Medical Department, appointing Utatane Koharu as its head.
• Shikata Nara challenges the plan’s practicality, pointing out the high cost and long training required for medical shinobi. Kagami acknowledges the difficulty but argues that Konoha cannot treat the loss of wounded comrades as an acceptable expense.
• Kagami invokes the Will of Fire and the legacies of Hashirama and Tobirama, urging the village to change so it can protect both its people and its future. Shinobi in the room respond with personal stories of relatives who died or were permanently injured for lack of treatment, and Shikata is left ashamed of his opposition.

Character developments and interactions

• Kagami presents himself as a measured, conciliatory leader, reaching out to Mito and then forcefully defending his medical reforms. His passion reveals a vision of the Hokage’s role centered on protecting people, not merely managing resources.
• Mito remains influential but avoids formal power. She trusts Kagami because Tobirama appointed him and supports his standing, while leaving the meeting before the policy debate.
• Shikata Nara begins as a pragmatic skeptic, voicing real concerns about training costs. Kagami’s emotional appeal and the testimony of others prompt him to reconsider and feel remorse.
• Koharu accepts responsibility for the new Medical Department and pledges to lead it.
• Hiruzen quietly follows Kagami’s cue and escorts Mito from the room. Hyuga and Uchiha representatives, meanwhile, reveal how clan rivalry and suspicion color reactions to Kagami’s choices.

Significant themes

• The Will of Fire: Kagami challenges the village to prove its ideals through action, especially by protecting its wounded.
• Leadership and reform: A new Hokage must build on past leaders’ legacies while changing practices that no longer serve the village.
• The human cost of war: The debate shifts from budgets and training time to the suffering of injured shinobi and their families.
• Unity beyond clan rivalry: Kagami’s outreach to Mito and his appeal to shared loss suggest that Konoha’s future depends on putting communal welfare above factional interests.

Plot points and events

• Kagami outlines gradual reforms, beginning with a Medical Department: organize existing medical shinobi, train promising Academy students, and trial squads that include a medical specialist. Koharu agrees to coordinate assignments, recruitment, and reports.
• He turns to education and asks Tokuma Hyuga about the dangers children faced in the Warring States era and afterward. Kagami sets a minimum age of twelve for civilian children to graduate early; clan children seeking early graduation must pass strict assessments.
• Kagami then demands that every clan send school-age children to the Ninja Academy. Clan representatives erupt in opposition, fearing the village will weaken family ties and clan authority.
• Tokuma openly rejects the policy. Uchiha Setsuna counters by accusing the Hyuga of using the Caged Bird system to control its Branch Family and resisting village loyalty. Their argument escalates into a near fight.
• Hiruzen urges Kagami to intervene. Danzō rebukes Hiruzen for failing to support Kagami and for not addressing him as “Lord Hokage.”
• Kagami reveals his Mangekyō Sharingan and releases a powerful aura, instantly silencing the hall. The assembly recognizes his strength and accepts that he earned the Hokage position through more than inheritance or Tobirama’s endorsement.

Character developments and interactions

• Kagami presents himself as a measured reformer, seeking gradual change and broad support, but asserts firm authority when debate becomes disorderly. His Mangekyō shifts the crowd’s view of him from a young, questionable leader to a formidable Hokage.
• Danzō silently renews his commitment to Kagami’s reforms, then publicly defends his authority and reminds Hiruzen of their duty to support him.
• Koharu responds constructively to Kagami’s medical reforms and takes responsibility for implementing them.
• Tokuma supports protecting children from premature missions but fiercely resists mandatory Academy attendance, seeing it as a threat to clan autonomy.
• Setsuna aggressively defends Kagami and attacks Tokuma’s motives, especially the Hyuga’s Main–Branch hierarchy. His loyalty to Kagami is clear, though his provocation nearly derails the meeting.
• Hiruzen hesitates during the confrontation and is challenged by both Kagami and Danzō.
• Kagami’s display of power ends the clash and forces the clan leaders and Jonin to reconsider their doubts.

Significant themes

• Reform versus clan autonomy: Kagami seeks village-wide education and organization, while clans fear losing control over their children and members.
• Protecting the young: The new graduation rules respond to the long history of children being sent into deadly missions too early.
• Leadership, loyalty, and authority: Danzō and Setsuna support Kagami, while the meeting tests whether the clans will accept his reforms and office.
• Strength and legitimacy: Kagami’s Mangekyō convinces the crowd that his position is backed by personal power as well as political succession.
• Internal injustice: Setsuna’s attack on the Hyuga’s Caged Bird system exposes the conflict between clan traditions and the rights and loyalties of individual members.

Chapter summary

• Kagami enforces compulsory education: He orders all school-age children—civilian and clan-born alike—to attend the Ninja Academy. Clans may offer extra private instruction, but cannot exclude children from village education. Children under twelve may not take missions beyond their level or graduate early without authorization. After silencing the opposition, Kagami declares the matter settled and appoints himself principal.
• A centralized intelligence system is created: Kagami describes Konoha’s fragmented intelligence networks as a dangerous weakness and establishes an Intelligence Coordination Department to unify Anbu intelligence, patrol reports, and clan informants. He appoints Shimura Danzō to lead it, granting him broad authority and resources. Danzō accepts with grim resolve, promising to protect the village and uncover threats.
• The Military Police Force is opened to the whole village: Kagami ends the Uchiha clan’s exclusive control of the force, allowing qualified ninja from any background to apply under the same standards. He presents the change as both a practical reform and a way to reduce suspicion and division around the Uchiha.
• Konoha’s forces are reorganized: Kagami divides the village’s roughly ten thousand active ninja into five permanent corps: four for border defense against the other great nations and one for protecting the village and providing mobile support. Commanders will be chosen later based on ability and record.
• A research project is revived: Kagami announces the revival of a project once studied by Tobirama, but withholds its details. He will personally vet researchers, and the department head remains undecided. Procedures for the reforms will be posted in three days; private resistance and merely pretending to comply are forbidden.

Character developments and interactions

Kagami establishes himself as a forceful, strategic leader. He suppresses open opposition, especially from Tokuma Hyuga, and pushes reforms intended to strengthen Konoha while limiting clan control over children, security, and military organization. His appointment of Danzō shows that he values competence, even when entrusting power to a ruthless and suspicious figure.
Danzō responds with disciplined loyalty, while Shikata Nara privately approves of Kagami’s careful distribution of responsibilities. Uchiha Setsuna is unsettled that Kagami did not consult his clan about the police reform. He recognizes that opening the force could ease anti-Uchiha suspicion, but privately wonders whether Kagami still feels connected to his family. Other clan leaders remain silent rather than challenge the Hokage.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes centralized authority and institutional reform: Kagami replaces fragmented, clan-based systems with village-wide structures. It also explores the tension between clan privilege and collective responsibility, especially in education and policing. Underlying the reforms is the theme of security through preparation—better intelligence, organized forces, and educated children are presented as essential to Konoha’s survival in a hostile world.

Key plot points and events

• Newly appointed Hokage Kagami Uchiha visits Tobirama’s hidden research laboratory with Danzo. Researchers report that experiments with Hashirama’s cells are nearing a breakthrough: within three years, they hope to develop safe transplants that might restore Danzo’s missing arm.
• Kagami encourages the researchers, especially young Hiruko, whose talent could eventually lead to the Chimera Technique. Kagami imagines that safer tissue fusion might let Konoha develop shinobi who can reliably use multiple bloodline abilities.
• Kagami reflects on his Mangekyō Sharingan. Katsuyu Mikoto heals his own body at the cost of ocular power; Ame-no-Minaka combines chakra from different sources but risks backlash and also consumes that power. He hopes stable Hashirama cells could prevent blindness and help him grow stronger, perhaps even reach the Rinnegan.
• Danzo asks when Kagami will hold his succession ceremony and who will join his Shadow Guard. Kagami postpones the ceremony until the village’s departments are organized and says he has already chosen the guard members. Reassured, Danzo leaves with him.

Character developments and interactions

• Kagami presents himself as a thoughtful, forward-looking Hokage who values research as much as battlefield service. His ambitions combine protecting himself, strengthening Konoha, and pursuing greater power.
• Danzo shows a fleeting hope that his arm may be restored. He supports Kagami but also quietly evaluates the researchers, intending to watch those Kagami values.
• Hiruko responds strongly to Kagami’s faith in him, pledging not to disappoint. Kagami’s praise validates researchers whose contributions are often overlooked.
• Orochimaru, still a quiet young researcher, says nothing, but pauses at Kagami’s words and privately remembers them.

Significant themes

• The value of different kinds of service: Kagami challenges the idea that only combat earns recognition.
• Scientific ambition and ethical risk: Cell fusion could transform Konoha’s capabilities, but unchecked experiments threaten bodily harm and loss of control.
• Power, survival, and their costs: Kagami seeks strength while confronting the danger that his Mangekyō abilities could blind him.
• Mentorship and influence: Kagami’s recognition may shape the paths of Hiruko, Orochimaru, and the village’s research program.