Ch. 101Kimimaro's Last Wish
Key plot points and events
- The battle stalls as Kakuzu repels Choji and Mifune cautiously fights Hidan, who needs fresh blood to restart his ritual. Ōnoki prepares to intervene.
- Sasuke arrives, attacking White Zetsu and Allied shinobi alike. Kabuto then sends Chiyo and Kimimaro into the battle. Ōnoki defeats Chiyo, and the Sealing Squad begins to seal her.
- Sasuke confronts Kimimaro and demands that Kabuto release him. Kimimaro refuses to fight Sasuke, despite Kabuto’s control causing him pain.
- When the Sealing Squad tries to bind Kimimaro, he loses control and unleashes a vast field of bones. Sasuke fights him and uses Amaterasu, but Kimimaro continues attacking.
- Kimimaro stops just short of striking Sasuke. After Sasuke confirms that Kimimaro is his closest friend, Kimimaro’s final wish is fulfilled and his soul departs.
- Sasuke leaves the battlefield, intent on taking revenge on Kabuto. The armies resume fighting around the hazardous bone forest.
Character developments
- Sasuke shows how deeply he values Kimimaro, insisting he be freed and ultimately acknowledging him as his closest friend. His grief turns into renewed anger toward Kabuto.
- Kimimaro resists being used as a weapon against Sasuke. He moves from thinking of himself as merely a tool to recognizing their bond as genuine friendship.
- Kabuto realizes Kimimaro’s attachment can affect Sasuke, but his attempt to exploit it instead exposes the strength of their bond.
- Ōnoki takes decisive action, directing the Sealing Squad and engaging Chiyo.
Significant themes
- Friendship versus being a tool: Kimimaro’s struggle centers on whether he is only an instrument of others or a friend with feelings and agency.
- Loyalty and sacrifice: Kimimaro endures pain and ultimately risks striking Sasuke only to stop himself.
- Recognition and closure: Sasuke’s admission gives Kimimaro the reassurance he longed for, allowing him to die at peace.
- War’s collateral damage: The combatants’ actions endanger allies as well as enemies, while Kabuto’s reanimated fighters complicate the battlefield.
Character interactions
- Sasuke clashes with Kimimaro but tries to spare him, calling for the Sealing Squad to intervene.
- Kimimaro resists Kabuto’s control and refuses to harm Sasuke, then asks Sasuke to kill him.
- Sasuke answers Kimimaro’s question about their relationship, giving him the confirmation he needs.
- Ōnoki orders the Sealing Squad to assist Sasuke, while Mifune and Hidan continue their cautious, high-stakes duel.