Recaps

Minato asked Kakashi how the Shinobi World should face enemies no ninja could defeat. Outside Naruto’s house, Karin finally met Sasuke and mistook his money and offer of a room for a betrothal gift and marital home.

• Minato told Kakashi that Kurama could create objects in Naruto’s mental space and asked how the Shinobi World should confront an enemy no ninja could fight.
• Karin waited outside Naruto’s house, hoping to meet the person who had saved her and thank him.
• Karin bumped into Sasuke, recognized him, and loudly told him she had been looking for him.
• Sasuke caught Karin when she nearly fainted and mistook her offer of a meal as a sign that she needed food.
• Sasuke gave Karin money and a key to a room, then left; Karin decided they were a betrothal gift and marital home.

Minato explained the Ōtsutsuki threat to Kakashi and why the divided shinobi world would be unable to resist it. He revealed that he intended to change the shinobi world so Naruto would not have to bear the burden alone.

• Sasuke noticed Naruto was unusually asleep and sensed someone else in Naruto's room besides Hinata.
• Kakashi reasoned that the shinobi villages would delay uniting against an overwhelming enemy and would likely lose even if they eventually fought together.
• Minato guided Kakashi to see that the shinobi world needed to build its strength before such a threat appeared.
• Minato told Kakashi about the Ōtsutsuki Clan and Isshiki, shocking him with the scale of the danger.
• Minato said he would change the shinobi world so Naruto would not have to endure the same hardship again, and Kakashi reacted with a conflicted expression.

Kakashi told Minato how guilt and loss had left him feeling powerless and once driven him to consider ending his life, but he chose to help with Minato’s plan as a teacher carrying on the hopes of Obito, Rin, and Naruto. The Nine-Tails decided Kakashi no longer needed another seal, then asked about his meeting with the Fourth Mizukage and the Three-Tails.

• Kakashi told Minato he understood why Minato had kept his survival and plan from Konoha.
• Kakashi confessed that he blamed himself for Rin’s death, failing to protect Kushina, and once thinking about ending his life; Minato confirmed he had asked the Nine-Tails to seal Kakashi to protect him as well as Naruto.
• Kakashi said he had inherited the hopes of Obito and Rin and wanted to support Minato’s plan as a teacher.
• Minato praised Kakashi, and the Nine-Tails said Kakashi no longer needed another seal.
• The Nine-Tails asked Kakashi when he had met the Fourth Mizukage and whether he had seen Isobu, the Three-Tails.

Kakashi’s account of the Fourth Mizukage and Shisui led Minato and the Nine-Tails to question the circumstances of Shisui’s death. After Kakashi and Naruto woke from the mental world, Naruto hurried them somewhere, dragging a reluctant Sasuke along.

• Kakashi told Minato and the Nine-Tails that Itachi had said the Fourth Mizukage joined the Akatsuki and had given him a Sharingan crow, but outside interference broke their connection.
• Minato and the Nine-Tails speculated that Shisui had freed the Fourth Mizukage from Akatsuki control, then questioned how Shisui joined the group and why he died helping the Mizukage.
• Minato decided to reconsider who had placed the seal on Shisui’s heart and suggested examining Shisui’s body again.
• Kakashi woke in Naruto's House beside Sasuke and said he and Naruto had encountered trouble while testing genjutsu.
• Sasuke asked when they would resume missions, but Kakashi said he needed a few more days and had something to do.
• Naruto snapped out of his daze and told Kakashi and Sasuke to come with him, while Sasuke protested that he wanted to change his clothes.

Naruto and Kakashi investigated Shisui Uchiha’s missing body, and Naruto used a mark he had placed on it to locate it inside Konoha. He found himself surrounded by hostile Anbu, but their leader halted the attack after recognizing Naruto as a Konoha ninja.

• Naruto told Sasuke his version of Shisui Uchiha’s life at the Memorial Stone, and Sasuke questioned Naruto’s slip about desecrating the body again.
• Kakashi learned from the Third Hokage that Shisui’s body had gone missing after Danzo hid it, and that Danzo refused to reveal its location.
• Kakashi told Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata about the missing body and Danzo’s plan, angering Sasuke.
• Naruto realized he had left a mark on Shisui’s body and sensed that it was still somewhere inside the village.
• Naruto teleported to a dark, spacious location and found himself surrounded by hostile Anbu, but their leader stopped them after spotting Naruto’s Konoha forehead protector.

Shisui Uchiha used Kotoamatsukami to control Naruto, but Naruto’s mind shifted Shisui into the Nine-Tails’ mental world. Shisui failed to control the Nine-Tails, leaving him facing the tailed beast’s growing anger.

• Naruto mistook the Anbu’s hostility for a misunderstanding and let Shisui Uchiha remove his Mask.
• Shisui revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan and used Kotoamatsukami to control Naruto and the Anbu.
• Shisui ordered the controlled Anbu to secretly take Naruto out of Konoha, then found himself alone in a white mental space.
• The Nine-Tails appeared behind its seal and recognized that Shisui could conceal his hostility.
• Shisui tried to control the Nine-Tails, but his ocular power had no effect.

Shisui Uchiha entered the Nine-Tails' mental space and mistook the beast's bars for a seal imprisoning it, only to discover that the Nine-Tails had trapped him instead. The Nine-Tails struck Shisui with natural energy, turning him into a stone statue.

• Shisui failed to control the Nine-Tails with his Mangekyō Sharingan and assumed the Fourth Hokage's seal blocked his ocular power.
• Shisui tried to leave the mental space but realized the Nine-Tails had imprisoned him inside a seal of its own.
• The Nine-Tails revealed that it had improved the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style and threatened to trap Shisui's consciousness and examine his body.
• Shisui claimed the Nine-Tails could not affect reality and began plotting to escape by reinforcing his control over the Jinchūriki.
• The Nine-Tails unleashed a torrent of natural energy, turning Shisui into a stone statue, then mocked the Uchiha for being weaker than Naruto.

Minato took control of Naruto's body after Shisui used Kotoamatsukami, and the Nine-Tails warned him not to use chakra. After Minato revived Shisui and tried Fox Sage Mode, the Konoha Anbu turned toward him under Shisui's apparent control.

• The Nine-Tails turned Shisui's consciousness into a stone statue inside Naruto's Inner World and left him there.
• Minato took over Naruto's body, checked Shisui's heartbeat, and complained that the Nine-Tails had forbidden him from using chakra.
• Minato recalled that Shisui's Kotoamatsukami could implant thoughts or fully control targets by overwriting their wills.
• Minato used Fox Sage Mode to sense Shisui, but the Konoha Anbu all turned toward him with vacant expressions.
• Minato realized the Anbu were likely under Kotoamatsukami's control and worried that he could not use chakra or sealing jutsu to stop them.

Minato fought Konoha Anbu in the Naka God Shrine while the Nine-Tails tried to free Naruto from Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami. The Nine-Tails urged Naruto to trust him and act, and Naruto began to break free just as Minato was about to be bound.

• Minato used taijutsu to fight the Anbu, who believed he was controlling Shisui and attacked to protect him.
• Naruto remained passive in his Inner World, convinced that self-reproach meant he should do nothing.
• The Nine-Tails challenged Naruto to trust him or himself and ordered him to take control of his body and act.
• The Anbu moved Shisui and used Wood Release to bind Naruto as they pressed their attack.
• Naruto’s senjutsu chakra erupted, blasting away the charging Anbu and the wooden tendril as he announced that someone else was taking over.

Naruto pursued Shisui’s escort after Minato urged him to target their leader, but the Anbu threatened to kill themselves to stop him. Shisui escaped the Nine-Tails’ consciousness seal with Black Zetsu’s help, only for Kakashi and his team to intercept the escort and discover Naruto’s fresh scent nearby.

• Naruto tried to pursue Shisui, but several Anbu threatened to kill themselves to cover his retreat.
• Minato and the Nine-Tails realized Shisui’s consciousness had escaped its seal, and Minato suspected an entity inside Shisui had helped him.
• Black Zetsu restored Shisui’s consciousness by triggering part of the Destructive Heart Seal, leaving Shisui’s body and mind badly injured.
• Kakashi, Hinata, Sasuke, and Pakkun encountered the Anbu escorting Shisui, but Kakashi initially chose to leave them alone.
• Pakkun smelled Naruto’s fresh scent behind the Anbu, revealing that the escort was connected to Naruto’s disappearance.

Naruto struggled to subdue the controlled Anbu at Naka Shrine without killing them, while Sasuke and Hinata made their way to him. The reinforcements arrived, and Naruto warned them that the Anbu were being controlled.

• Naruto thwarted several Anbu's attempts to kill themselves while fighting off the Wood Release user and the other attackers.
• Naruto broke through the wooden restraints with a senjutsu-charged Rasengan and used Flying Thunder God to stop another Anbu from stabbing himself.
• Naruto discussed the difficulty of safely subduing the Anbu with Minato and the Nine-Tails as he dodged their attacks.
• Naruto looked up at the ceiling, then caught an Anbu who charged recklessly and warned Sasuke and Hinata not to kill the controlled Anbu.
• Sasuke and Hinata dispelled their attacks and took positions around Naruto, while Pakkun arrived and complained that they had outrun him.

Naruto and his allies fought Anbu whose perceptions had been altered by a Sharingan ability, while Naruto gathered Konoha’s leaders to restrain them without killing them. When Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived and joined the others, the Anbu’s belief that they were defending the village collapsed.

• Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke subdued the controlled Anbu, and Naruto sent Pakkun back to Kakashi with an update.
• Hinata identified a way to stop the Anbu without killing them, while Naruto warned Sasuke to watch for those trying to take their own lives and went to fetch help.
• Naruto brought Hyuga Hiashi to the fight, and Hiashi attacked the Anbu to protect Hinata.
• Naruto brought Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka to restrain the remaining Anbu with their clan techniques.
• A shadow clone fetched Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose arrival made the Anbu question whether they were the only ones loyal to the village.

Kakashi realized Shisui Uchiha had escaped by controlling the Anbu, while Naruto’s attempt to pursue him through a Flying Thunder God mark was thwarted by a trap. Shisui survived with Black Zetsu’s help, and Naruto vowed to defeat him the next time they met.

• Kakashi recognized the Anbu were controlled and deduced that the escaped man was Shisui Uchiha, who was still alive.
• Naruto checked that Kakashi was safe, told him the Anbu were controlled by a Sharingan ability, and left to pursue Shisui.
• Naruto’s shadow clone was burned away when it reached a Flying Thunder God mark Shisui had trapped, and Naruto realized Shisui had cut off and burned the marked foot.
• Naruto asked Kurama and his father about his frustration at failing, then vowed to defeat Shisui at their next meeting.
• Shisui regained consciousness in hiding as Black Zetsu treated his injuries, and he also spoke of their next meeting.

Konoha’s medical staff examined Anbu whose perceptions had been altered by Kotoamatsukami while the Third Hokage confronted Danzo and ordered the suspects held. Shikaku reported that more than forty Anbu had been caught, with three additional suspects identified.

• Kurenai Yuhi learned that the village had urgently summoned most of the hospital staff to investigate a serious, unexplained problem.
• Doctors and medical Ninja examined the imprisoned Anbu as Ibiki’s team guarded them and prevented them from resisting.
• The Third Hokage told Danzo that his will had also been altered by Kotoamatsukami, but his punishment would remain unchanged.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitakado Homura claimed they had been controlled too, but the Third Hokage left without answering them.
• The Third Hokage ordered Ibiki to keep the Anbu confined and cooperate with the medical team.
• Shikaku Nara reported that around forty Anbu had been caught and Kakashi had identified three more suspects.

After learning that Shisui Uchiha may have compromised much of the Anbu, the Third Hokage ordered Konoha to hunt him and tighten village security. He kept the Three-Nation Joint Chunin Exam on schedule and privately approved Kakashi's bold plan to strike back.

• Shikaku Nara warned the Third Hokage that nearly sixty percent of the Anbu had been affected and advised against relying on them.
• The Third ordered Hyuga Hiashi, Shibi Aburame, and Tsume Inuzuka to assemble squads to find Shisui Uchiha, while Inoichi Yamanaka organized a village-wide patrol reporting system.
• The Third ordered security adjustments for the Three-Nation Joint Chunin Exam, but rejected calls to cancel it or bar Kirigakure because Konoha lacked evidence and risked political backlash.
• After the others departed, the Third learned Kakashi had left with Asuma to contact Jiraiya and Tsunade, then told Shikaku to carry out Kakashi's proposed counterattack.

Karin waited near Naruto’s home for Sasuke, but instead helped the sickly Gekko Hayate find Naruto. Hayate came to thank Naruto, while Karin was surprised to find Hinata at Naruto’s home.

• Konoha Ninja questioned Karin while patrolling, and she explained that she lived nearby and was waiting for someone.
• Karin mistook Gekko Hayate for another patrol and then gave him directions to Naruto’s home.
• When Hayate began coughing violently, Karin felt guilty and helped him up the stairs to Naruto’s door.
• Hinata answered the door and invited Karin and Hayate inside to meet Naruto.
• Hayate introduced himself and said he had come to thank Naruto, while Karin wondered why Hinata was there.

Gekko Hayate thanked Naruto for saving Uzuki Yugao and other Anbu from harming themselves while under a controlling technique. Naruto said he remained affected by Kotoamatsukami, but was letting its effects persist so Minato and the Nine-Tails could study a countermeasure before the Chunin examiners’ meeting.

• Gekko Hayate bowed to Naruto and thanked him for saving the woman he loved, Uzuki Yugao, from the technique controlling her.
• Gekko Hayate explained that Naruto had prevented Yugao from killing herself and harming him, and thanked him on behalf of Anbu families whose members served in secret.
• Karin reflected on Hayate’s gratitude and wondered whether Konoha was different from Kusagakure.
• Naruto told Gekko Hayate that he was still affected by the technique but had ideas for overcoming it.
• Gekko Hayate invited Naruto to a meeting of the Chunin exam assistant and chief examiners in a week, and Naruto said he would recover in time.
• Naruto continued yielding to Kotoamatsukami’s effects so Minato and the Nine-Tails could study the technique and find a way to counter it.

Karin asked Gekko Hayate for help joining Konoha as a ninja, while Naruto spent time with Hinata as he continued researching Kotoamatsukami. Hinata's natural-energy training caused an unexplained burning sensation in her eyes, though she did not feel tired.

• Karin asked Gekko Hayate to help her join Konoha and become a Konoha Ninja.
• Hinata looked after Naruto, then began training with natural energy while he watched.
• Hinata struggled to sense the natural energy she was absorbing and felt uncomfortable, so Naruto stopped his research and offered to make lunch.
• After resting on Naruto's bed, Hinata realized she was not tired and remembered a strange burning sensation in her eyes during training.

Sasuke and Neji investigated the Uchiha Stone Inscription, then went to Ichiraku Ramen, where Teuchi gave Sasuke food to take to the injured Naruto. When they reached Naruto’s home, Naruto rushed out carrying Hinata and vanished with Flying Thunder God, leaving Sasuke and Neji unsure what had happened.

• Sasuke brought Neji to Naka Shrine, where Neji’s Byakugan revealed chakra fluctuations on the Stone Inscription but could not read it.
• Neji took Sasuke to Ichiraku Ramen, where they ate and told Teuchi that Naruto was recovering from an injury.
• Teuchi prepared Naruto’s favorite Tonkotsu Chashu Ramen for Sasuke to take as a get-well gift.
• Sasuke and Neji went to Naruto’s home, where Naruto burst out carrying Hinata and vanished using Flying Thunder God.
• Sasuke and Neji wondered what had happened and did not know where Naruto had taken Hinata.

Naruto told Hyuga Hiashi that Hinata’s Byakugan had briefly changed and unleashed a dangerous power that caused her to collapse. The chapter ended with Hiashi asking what Naruto and Hinata had been doing before her eyes changed.

• Sasuke and Neji found a deep slash through Naruto’s room and suspected Naruto’s new technique had injured Hinata.
• Hiashi hurried back to the Hyuga compound and found Hinata awake, with Naruto still holding her hand.
• Hiashi cleared the room so Naruto could explain what had happened in private.
• Naruto said Hinata’s eyes had changed and released a strange power that nearly made her body collapse before she fainted.
• Hiashi was shocked that the Byakugan had changed and asked what Naruto and Hinata had been doing beforehand.

After Hinata’s eyes changed during natural energy training and she collapsed, Naruto, Hiashi, Kurama, and Minato considered whether she had awakened the Tenseigan. They found no answers in the Hyuga Clan’s records and left Hinata to recover while planning to investigate the power cautiously.

• Naruto told Hiashi about Hinata’s reaction to natural energy, and Hiashi let Naruto channel some into him, but it caused no change in his Byakugan.
• Kurama suggested that Hinata’s eyes might have awakened the Tenseigan, but Hiashi said the Hyuga Clan had no records of it.
• Kurama explained that the Tenseigan belonged to Otsutsuki Toneri and that the Hyuga Clan’s Byakugan might evolve into it; Minato warned that Hinata could not control the power.
• Naruto and Hiashi returned to Hinata’s room, where medical personnel said she needed to rest, and Naruto persuaded her to stay with help from Hanabi.
• Hinata learned that Hanabi used a Shadow Clone to attend school, and Neji rushed back to the clan to search for the missing Naruto and Hinata before finding them.

Naruto stayed at the Hyuga Clan compound while Hinata recovered, joking with Sasuke and Neji and discussing her condition and the upcoming Chunin Ninja Exams. Neji and Sasuke then asked whether Naruto was still affected by the Sharingan ability, and Naruto realized Kotoamatsukami had stopped working.

• Hiashi arranged for Naruto to stay at the Hyuga Clan compound and promised to search the clan records for information about the Tenseigan.
• Natsu Hyuga offered Sasuke a guest room, while Neji made sure the attendants acknowledged Sasuke as the nominal head of the Uchiha Clan.
• Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji joked about their rivalry and discussed Sasuke and Hinata entering the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Naruto said Hinata should decide for herself whether to enter the exams and told Neji he was working on a way to remove the Caged Bird Seal.
• Neji and Sasuke asked Naruto whether the Sharingan ability still affected him, and Naruto and the Nine-Tails realized Kotoamatsukami had stopped working after he carried Hinata away.

Naruto proposed a way to break Kotoamatsukami by strengthening a person's own thoughts until they overpowered the imposed command, and Konoha's experts agreed it was viable. After Third assigned teams to pursue the method, Naruto secured permission to leave with Sasuke and asked for a replacement genin for Team 7; Gekko Hayate then arrived seeking news about the solution.

• Minato explained that a powerful personal impulse could overwrite Kotoamatsukami's influence, and the Nine-Tails helped Naruto understand the idea.
• Kurenai Yuhi and Inoichi Yamanaka confirmed the approach was possible but difficult, and Third ordered the Medical Team and Barrier Team to investigate it.
• Naruto asked Third for permission to leave the village with Sasuke while Hinata recovered, and Third approved.
• Naruto asked Third to find a genin to fill Team 7's open spot for the upcoming Chunin Ninja Exams, and Third agreed.
• Shikaku went to fetch the genin records and encountered Gekko Hayate, who hurried to ask whether the village had found a solution.

Tsunade returned to Konoha with Shizune and met with the Third, agreeing to examine the village’s troubled Anbu while questioning his decision to hold the Chunin Ninja Exams. Hiruzen Sarutobi admitted he did not know whether his plans would succeed.

• Tsunade and Shizune reached Konoha, leaving Jiraiya behind to recover from the medicine Tsunade had given him.
• Izumo Kamizuki welcomed Tsunade at the gate, and she went to see Teacher Sarutobi at the Hokage Building.
• Asuma and Kakashi teased Jiraiya about his behavior toward Tsunade as he suffered in an outhouse.
• Tsunade agreed to examine the troubled Anbu but questioned why the Third was proceeding with the Chunin Ninja Exams despite threats to the village.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi explained that he did not know whether his plans would work.

Tsunade returned to Konoha, assessed Yamato’s Kotoamatsukami condition, and proposed a treatment using temporary memory loss. Naruto and Sasuke traveled with Sara toward ancient Rōran, where Sasuke was about to reunite with Uchiha Izumi.

• Tsunade told the Third Hokage that she and Shizune would stay in Konoha for a while, then left an IOU in his office as her consultation fee.
• Tsunade examined Yamato and organized a medical team to treat those controlled by Kotoamatsukami.
• Tsunade proposed temporarily erasing memories to weaken the imposed consciousness and asked to meet Naruto, but the Third said Naruto had left the village.
• The Third told Tsunade that Naruto would return before the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• In the Land of Wind, Sara told Naruto and Sasuke that Uchiha Izumi had agreed to meet them in ancient Rōran.