Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Kiyomori, Daimyo of the Land of Water, is told that every ship in the Capital’s harbor has vanished. Gato’s control of most merchant shipping—and his permits—has enabled Madara’s secret force to remove the rest.
• With the Capital isolated, Zabuza and Haku use dense mist to seize Kiyomori. Zabuza threatens him with death unless he cooperates.
• Kiyomori signs several documents without reading them: ending the conflict with Kirigakure and supplying it, appointing Zabuza and Haku as his bodyguards, and ordering the Mizukage to take Kirigakure’s forces to the Land of Fire and join Konoha. He is then forced to read what he signed.
• Madara’s plan brings Kiyomori, the Land of Water’s senior officials, and Kirigakure’s army to the Land of Fire within a day. Yuanxin and Shinhiko are impressed and pleased by Madara’s growing power and the benefits their families have gained.
• At the Mountainous Cemetery, Edo Madara receives word from Hokage Madara that the Land of Water and Land of Wind have been dealt with. He credits the success to years of preparation with the Fifth Hokage. Orochimaru wonders what agreement links the two Madaras.

Character developments and interactions

• Kiyomori shifts from an alarmed ruler to a terrified, compliant hostage, signing the orders to save his life.
• Zabuza is cold and contemptuous toward Kiyomori, while Haku handles the documents and ensures the coercion succeeds. Together, they act as Madara’s deniable agents.
• Yuanxin and Shinhiko reaffirm their support for Madara, seeing his rule as a source of security, political advantage, and national prestige.
• Edo Madara appears confident that the operation would succeed; Orochimaru is impressed but increasingly curious about their longstanding arrangement.

Significant themes

• Power through preparation: Years of planning, bribery, and control of transport allow Madara to dominate a rival nation with little open warfare.
• Coercion and political legitimacy: Kiyomori’s orders are obtained by force, yet the scheme is arranged to preserve Madara’s public image and make Kirigakure appear responsible.
• Fear and shifting loyalties: Kiyomori’s terror contrasts with the confidence of Madara’s allies, who now see his strength as protection from threats such as the Akatsuki.
• The cost of isolation: Without ships or communication, Kiyomori is unable to seek help or expose the plot.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• After Sunagakure and Kirigakure fall under Hokage Madara’s influence, Edo Madara decides to target Kumogakure and the Land of Lightning rather than attack Konoha immediately.
• Black Zetsu objects, arguing that recovering the Rinnegan and reviving Madara should come first. Orochimaru counters that Konoha already commands the Land of Fire, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure; allowing the Land of Lightning and Land of Earth to join them could recreate a united Five-Nation Alliance.
• Edo Madara grows suspicious of Black Zetsu, questioning why he seems to have interests different from Madara’s. Black Zetsu claims he simply wants Madara revived, but Madara chooses not to challenge him further yet.
• At the Land of Lightning’s palace, Acting Daimyo Zhegang confirms that he has sent alliance proposals to the other nations at the Raikage’s urging. The Raikage then prepares to return to Kumogakure and mobilize its forces.
• Before he can leave, the Third Raikage—revived through Impure World Reincarnation and controlled by Kabuto—attacks. The Fourth Raikage intercepts him, recognizing his father and accusing him of killing the Land of Earth’s Daimyo. Kabuto identifies himself.

Character developments

• Edo Madara becomes more confident in his role as a behind-the-scenes strategist and increasingly distrusts Black Zetsu.
• Black Zetsu becomes frustrated that Madara is listening to Orochimaru and is more focused on the Rinnegan than on Madara’s broader military strategy.
• Orochimaru argues pragmatically that the Akatsuki must prevent the remaining nations from joining Konoha’s growing coalition.
• The Fourth Raikage demonstrates his readiness to act against the Akatsuki and his emotional anger at seeing his father used as a weapon.
• Kabuto is revealed to be personally controlling the Third Raikage during the attack.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and control: Edo Madara, Orochimaru, Black Zetsu, and Kabuto all maneuver others toward competing goals.
• Political strategy and shifting alliances: The struggle is as much about preventing nations from uniting as it is about direct combat.
• The violation of the dead: The revived Kage are forced into battle, and the Fourth Raikage’s anger reflects the personal cost of that tactic.

Character interactions

• Madara and Orochimaru align on targeting the Land of Lightning, while Black Zetsu pushes for an immediate move toward Konoha and the Rinnegan.
• Madara challenges Black Zetsu’s motives, hinting that he knows Black Zetsu’s true agenda may differ from his own.
• The Fourth Raikage clashes with his revived father, while Kabuto calmly introduces himself after the attack.

Key plot points and events

• Kabuto, controlling the reanimated Third Raikage, taunts the Fourth Raikage and claims his father’s body is unbeatable.
• The Fourth Raikage overwhelms him with speed and close-combat skill. He explains that Kabuto’s remote control cannot match a true Raikage’s reflexes or experience.
• Kabuto has the Third Raikage attack wildly with Hell Stab: Four-Finger Nukite. The Fourth Raikage redirects the strike into the Third Raikage’s own body, breaking it.
• Kumogakure’s sealing team restrains and seals the Third Raikage. Kabuto abandons the body, allowing father and son a brief reunion.
• The Land of Lightning’s Daimyo, Zhegang, tries to seek the Fourth Raikage’s protection, but C warns him back. A reanimated Second Hokage then kills Zhegang.
• The Fourth Raikage realizes Kabuto and Orochimaru are targeting Konoha as well. The Second Hokage apologizes, saying he is no longer in control of his actions.
• The attack is part of a broader plan by Madara and Orochimaru to crush the Land of Lightning’s resistance—and ultimately kill the Fourth Raikage.

Character developments and interactions

• Fourth Raikage: Demonstrates confidence, tactical skill, and mastery of close combat. He defeats his father’s body through timing and technique rather than brute force, but suppresses his grief and vulnerability when the Third Raikage recognizes him.
• Third Raikage: Briefly regains awareness after Kabuto’s control ends. He praises his son before being sealed.
• Kabuto: His overconfidence gives way to disbelief when his control proves inadequate against an experienced nintaijutsu fighter. He escapes the body when it is shattered.
• C: Acts decisively, ordering the sealing team into action and warning Zhegang away from danger.
• Zhegang: His fear of the Akatsuki leads him to seek the Raikage’s protection, but he is killed before he can do so.
• Second Hokage: Appears as a reanimated opponent and kills Zhegang, while acknowledging that his actions are not his own.

Significant themes

• Experience versus raw power: The Third Raikage’s immense strength cannot compensate for Kabuto’s slower reactions and lack of combat experience.
• Technique and adaptability: The Fourth Raikage turns the Third Raikage’s strongest attack against him.
• Duty and concealed emotion: The Fourth Raikage’s grief is held back by his responsibility as leader.
• Political coercion: The enemy’s strategy is to eliminate leaders and break the Land of Lightning’s will to resist.

Key plot points and events

• The Fourth Raikage faces the reanimated Third Raikage and Second Hokage, but a thick mist suddenly engulfs the Land of Lightning’s imperial palace.
• Kabuto, using the Second Tsuchikage’s body, intimidates the nobles and reveals that the attack is about more than killing the Raikage. He has also arranged to wipe out Kumogakure’s forces.
• The Raikage orders C to take Darui, Mabui, and others back to the village and rally its forces. Kabuto’s side counters with coordinated attacks: the Second Tsuchikage’s Dust Release nearly kills the group, and the Second Hokage’s Water Release scatters them.
• The Raikage realizes escape is nearly impossible and names Darui as the next Raikage. He tears through the mist at high speed to open routes for his subordinates, but Tobirama has already marked the palace with Flying Thunder God seals.
• C is struck through the heart by the Second Hokage while trying to reach Mabui. Mabui urges the Raikage to abandon them and escape, recognizing that the slaughter is intended to keep him occupied.

Character developments

• Fourth Raikage: Shows courage and leadership, prioritizing Kumogakure’s survival over his own. He tries to create an escape for his people and formally entrusts Darui with succession.
• Mabui: Demonstrates clear judgment under pressure, quickly understanding Kabuto’s strategy and urging the Raikage not to waste his chance to escape.
• C: Uses his sensory skill to evade the Dust Release attack, but is killed by Tobirama before he can protect Mabui.
• Second Mizukage: Admires the Raikage’s determination, though he knows the escape effort is doomed.
• Kabuto: Reveals the breadth of his plan and uses fear, battlefield coordination, and the threat to the Raikage’s subordinates to manipulate events.

Significant themes

• Leadership and sacrifice: The Raikage accepts personal risk to protect his village and ensure it has a successor.
• Strategy versus strength: The Raikage’s speed and power cannot overcome Kabuto’s preparation, coordination, and use of the mist.
• Loyalty and duty: C and Mabui act to protect their comrades, while the Raikage’s concern for his people makes him vulnerable to the trap.
• The cost of war: The chapter pits three Kage against a younger leader and his elite unit, highlighting the overwhelming brutality of the assault.

Character interactions

• Kabuto threatens the nobles into silence and tells the Raikage that escape is impossible.
• The Raikage gives C evacuation orders and appoints Darui as his successor.
• C guides Darui and Mabui away from the Dust Release attack, then is killed by Tobirama.
• Mabui pleads with the Raikage to leave, while the Second Mizukage observes and comments on the Raikage’s attempt to save his subordinates.

• Key events: Mabui is killed by the Second Tsuchikage’s Dust Release after warning the Fourth Raikage. Realizing he cannot save his forces by staying, the Raikage flees toward Kumogakure, but the Second Hokage blocks his route. The First Hokage then intercepts him and defeats him with overwhelming taijutsu and Wood Release, crushing him beneath trees. Kabuto reveals that Madara and Orochimaru have gone to Iwagakure and that powerful forces are also attacking Kumogakure. After the battle, Kabuto asks the Land of Lightning’s leaders whether they will join the Five-Nation Allied Army; they submit, their resolve broken by the Raikage’s death and the threat to their village.
• Character developments and interactions: Mabui’s final warning helps the Raikage accept that he must flee to protect his people. Though defiant, he recognizes he is unlikely to escape and chooses to face the First Hokage bravely. The First Hokage briefly breaks through Kabuto’s control in anger, showing that his will remains powerful even as a reanimated fighter; he then kills the Raikage swiftly, seemingly to spare him further humiliation. Kabuto is shaken by the First Hokage’s resistance and revises his view of how carefully he must control him. The First Hokage leaves troubled by Madara’s role in the war, unable to reconcile it with his belief in Madara’s innate kindness.
• Significant themes: The chapter contrasts duty with survival: the Raikage abandons his own chance to fight on so he can protect his village, then accepts death with courage. It also emphasizes the limits of control and coercion, as the First Hokage’s will briefly overcomes Kabuto’s restraints. Finally, the overwhelming defeat of the Raikage shows how fear and loss can destroy political resolve, leaving the Land of Lightning’s leaders to surrender their independence.

Plot points and events

• Kabuto’s revived trio—Deidara, Sasori, and the Third Kazekage—fly toward Kumogakure as a special team tasked with destroying the village.
• Deidara breaks away to attack deeper inside the village, while Sasori and the Third Kazekage confront Kumogakure’s assembled ninja.
• Sasori deploys hundreds of puppets using the body of a Wind Country general as a relay. The Third Kazekage supports him with Magnet Release and iron sand.
• Tsukiyo Raisan, the veteran left in command, recognizes the Third Kazekage and attacks Sasori with lightning-enhanced speed. The Kazekage blocks his strike with an iron-sand wall.
• While Raisan’s forces engage the pair, Sasori’s poisoned puppets spread through the ranks, inflicting severe casualties. Kumogakure’s fighters struggle to adapt to the puppets’ unusual, persistent attacks.

Character developments

• Deidara remains eager to make a grand, artistic spectacle, but accepts that the mission is to destroy Kumogakure.
• Sasori is frustrated that his former puppet collection is gone, yet quickly demonstrates his ingenuity by adapting the general’s body to control a vast puppet army.
• The Third Kazekage serves as Sasori’s shield, protecting him with iron sand while avoiding direct involvement in the slaughter.
• Tsukiyo Raisan is introduced as an energetic, experienced leader who stands firm despite facing overwhelming odds.

Character interactions

• Deidara and Sasori complain about their limited freedom and lost ambitions; the Third Kazekage reminds them they are effectively serving Kabuto and Orochimaru.
• Sasori and the Third Kazekage work in tandem: Sasori directs the puppets, while the Kazekage defends him and attacks from above.
• Raisan and the Kazekage exchange recognition and restrained hostility, suggesting a history of rivalry.
• Sasori taunts Raisan, provoking the older ninja into a direct attack.

Significant themes

• Control and loss of agency: The revived trio are powerful but remain subject to their commanders’ orders.
• Ingenuity and adaptation: Sasori compensates for losing his puppets by devising a new way to command them.
• The cruelty of warfare: Kumogakure’s conventional fighters are unprepared for poisoned weapons and attacks that continue even after puppets are damaged.

Plot points and events

• Deidara returns from Kumogakure after confirming its civilians have been evacuated. The Raikage had sent them to Turtle Island before leaving to defend the Land of Lightning.
• Sasori’s poison incapacitates Tsukiyo Raisan, one of the last Kumogakure defenders. Sasori plans to turn captured Kumogakure fighters into Lightning Release nintaijutsu puppets.
• Deidara detonates bombs he planted throughout the village. The chain of explosions reduces Kumogakure to rubble, completing the attack and breaking the remaining defenders’ morale.
• On Turtle Island, Killer B protects the evacuated civilians. He remembers that the Raikage left him behind so they would have a safeguard, and hopes his brother returns safely.
• Meanwhile, Edo Madara and Orochimaru inspect Iwagakure’s assembled forces. Madara admires Ōnoki’s leadership; Orochimaru teases Madara about his own poor organizational skills and praises the Fifth Hokage instead.

Character developments and interactions

• Deidara revels in destruction as artistic expression, but shows little interest in harming civilians; he is satisfied that they were evacuated before he detonates the village.
• Sasori treats the battle pragmatically, viewing its casualties as potential material for his puppet forces and as preparation for a future fight with Sasuke.
• Tsukiyo Raisan watches his home’s destruction while dying, powerless to avenge it.
• Killer B accepts a protective role rather than joining the Raikage’s campaign, placing the refugees’ safety above his wish to fight beside his brother.
• Edo Madara and Orochimaru trade barbs: Orochimaru mocks Madara’s lack of political and organizational ability, while Madara points to Orochimaru’s partnership with the Fifth Hokage as evidence of their influence. Madara appears to be learning to value strategy beyond raw strength.

Significant themes

• The collapse of wartime boundaries: Attacks now threaten entire villages and civilians, not just combatants on battlefields.
• Art, power, and destruction: Deidara celebrates the annihilation of Kumogakure as his masterpiece, while Sasori sees the battle chiefly as a means to strengthen his forces.
• Leadership and responsibility: The Raikage’s evacuation plan and Killer B’s guardianship contrast with the devastation left by the attackers.
• Strength versus strategy: Madara’s exchanges with Orochimaru emphasize that power alone is not enough; organization, political skill, and planning also shape the shinobi world.

Plot points and events

• Ōnoki leads the Iwagakure army toward the front, ordering Kurotsuchi to stay with Sasuke’s unit and warning her not to act recklessly. He hopes that keeping her close to Sasuke might strengthen ties with Konoha.
• Sensory-ninja Gray Earth reports that Madara Uchiha is approaching alone. The army halts, and Ōnoki flies to the front to face him; Kurotsuchi follows despite her father Kitsuchi’s efforts to hold her back.
• Madara charges the Iwagakure forces. Their earth-based attack briefly appears to trap him, but he has already entered their ranks, where he kills several shinobi and disrupts their ability to coordinate.
• Kitsuchi raises Madara on a pillar of earth while Ōnoki attacks with Dust Release. Madara absorbs the technique with the Preta Path.
• Madara uses Chibaku Tensei, pulling Ōnoki and many soldiers toward its gravitational core. Ōnoki counters by increasing his own weight, while Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi attack the core. Kitsuchi’s successive earth techniques weaken the pull and contain the threat.

Character developments

• Ōnoki acts as both commander and protector, prioritizing the survival of Iwagakure’s younger generation while facing Madara himself. He quickly recognizes the nature of Chibaku Tensei and responds strategically.
• Kurotsuchi is impatient with caution and eager to prove herself in battle, but she joins her father and Ōnoki in confronting Madara.
• Kitsuchi demonstrates dependable leadership and battlefield skill, coordinating with Ōnoki and helping limit the damage from Chibaku Tensei.
• Madara treats the battle as an opportunity to display his overwhelming power and toy with his opponents, rather than simply defeating them as quickly as possible.
• Orochimaru, observing from a mountain, takes evident pleasure in seeing Madara face the army.

Significant themes

• The fading old era: Madara presents himself as the final, spectacular force of the old shinobi age.
• Power versus teamwork: Madara overwhelms individuals, but coordinated tactics by Ōnoki, Kitsuchi, and Kurotsuchi lessen the danger.
• Protecting the next generation: Ōnoki’s concern for Kurotsuchi and the younger ninja shapes his decisions, even as the battle demands their involvement.
• Political calculation: Ōnoki considers a possible bond between Kurotsuchi and Sasuke as a way to secure Iwagakure’s relationship with rising Konoha.

Character interactions

• Ōnoki urges Kurotsuchi to stay with Sasuke’s unit; she dismisses his concern and pursues Madara, while Kitsuchi tries to restrain her.
• Madara taunts Ōnoki and draws the Iwagakure army into close combat, exploiting their inability to coordinate once he is among them.
• Kitsuchi and Ōnoki work in tandem against Madara, and Kitsuchi later joins Kurotsuchi in reducing Chibaku Tensei’s threat.

Key plot points and events

• Edo Madara overwhelms Iwagakure’s forces. After the village’s Earth Release users blunt Chibaku Tensei’s pull, he detonates the enormous sphere, inflicting further casualties, then summons his mountain-sized Perfect Susanoo.
• With Iwagakure’s army routed, Kurotsuchi urges Ōnoki to retreat and seek help from Konoha. Ōnoki orders her and Kitsuchi to evacuate, then makes a final stand against Madara.
• Ōnoki uses a massive Dust Release technique to trap Susanoo’s head, spending his life to delay Madara. Madara absorbs the attack with the Preta Path and acknowledges Ōnoki’s resolve, though the sacrifice only holds him briefly.
• Madara attacks the fleeing forces, then heads for the Land of Earth’s imperial city.
• In the Land of Fire, Hokage Madara and his court learn that both the Raikage and Ōnoki are dead, along with the nations’ Acting Daimyo; their populations and nobles are now Akatsuki’s hostages. Kumogakure was crushed by a group of reanimated and allied enemies, while Madara alone defeated Iwagakure’s forces.
• Shaken by the news, courtier Qiushou Xin suggests surrendering the two conquered nations to Akatsuki in exchange for peace.

Character developments

• Ōnoki accepts defeat but remains committed to his Will of Stone. Rather than flee, he chooses to die buying time for his people.
• Kurotsuchi shows concern for her grandfather and practical leadership, urging retreat and later helping lead an organized unit.
• Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi maintain some discipline amid the army’s panic, though Madara targets both retreating groups.
• Edo Madara remains overwhelmingly confident, but gives Ōnoki a measure of respect for his courage.
• Shikamaru responds to the reports by asking for concrete details, while the court’s nobles reveal growing fear and doubt about resisting Akatsuki.

Significant themes

• Overwhelming power and helplessness: Madara’s strength makes even elite shinobi and entire nations seem unable to resist.
• Sacrifice and duty: Ōnoki’s death embodies his commitment to protect Iwagakure and uphold the Will of Stone.
• Fear versus resolve: Most of Iwagakure’s troops break under terror, while Ōnoki and his two units show differing forms of courage and discipline.
• Political consequences of war: The fall of two nations leaves civilians and nobles as hostages and pushes the Land of Fire toward considering appeasement.

Character interactions

• Madara taunts Iwagakure’s defenders, then faces Ōnoki directly and silently recognizes his resolve.
• Ōnoki gives Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi their final orders, prioritizing their survival and the army’s retreat.
• Shikamaru questions the intelligence messenger about how each nation was defeated, prompting the court to confront the scale of Akatsuki’s power.
• Qiushou Xin voices the court’s fear by proposing concessions to avoid a wider war.

Plot points

• Sai reports that Edo Madara has killed the nobles of the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth and declared war on the shinobi world. The surviving great nations see an opportunity to claim those lands, while Madara’s threat rallies them behind the Hokage.
• Jiraiya confirms that the Allied Shinobi Forces are ready. They will march once the Land of Water’s daimyo arrives; meanwhile, civilians in nearby small countries are being evacuated.
• The alliance divides its forces: Tsunade and Sakura lead medical and logistics; Sasuke and Gaara command the assault on the Land of Earth; Naruto, Jiraiya, and Nagato lead the attack on the Land of Lightning. Hokage Madara guards headquarters with elite troops.
• Hokage Madara brings frightened political leaders to headquarters so they can witness the war through the sensory network. He hopes seeing its horrors will discourage future wars.
• Black Zetsu, unaware that Sasuke awakened his Rinnegan himself, urges Edo Madara to target Sasuke and recover the supposed stolen eye. Orochimaru agrees to send Hashirama to Madara, but refuses to act as Black Zetsu’s subordinate.
• Hashirama arrives beside Edo Madara at the Land of Earth border. Madara looks forward to fighting alongside his old friend and reflects on how a united shinobi world might have prevented later wars.

Character developments and interactions

• Hokage Madara balances military leadership with a desire to limit civilian deaths, and uses the war as a lesson for political leaders.
• Black Zetsu remains convinced he can manipulate Madara and misunderstands Sasuke’s Rinnegan; Orochimaru’s independence frustrates him.
• Orochimaru cooperates for his own amusement and strategic reasons, not out of loyalty.
• Edo Madara is both calculating and unexpectedly wistful about fighting beside Hashirama again.
• Hashirama and Madara’s reunion revives their former bond and their shared, unrealized ambition of unifying the shinobi world.

Significant themes

• War’s human cost: evacuations, medical support, and Madara’s planned demonstration stress the effort to reduce casualties and make leaders understand war’s brutality.
• Power and ambition: the nobles’ fear gives way to thoughts of territorial gain, while Akatsuki’s plans revolve around the Rinnegan and the tailed beasts.
• Manipulation and mistaken beliefs: Black Zetsu’s confidence rests on a false assumption about Sasuke and his belief that Madara remains under his influence.
• Peace through unity—or force: Madara’s reflection suggests that a unified world might have prevented conflict, even as the present war is being fought to impose a new order.

Chapter Summary: “Evolution”

Key plot points and events

• Hashirama argues that Madara’s plan to unite the Shinobi World through violence would not create lasting peace: neither of them knows how to govern such a vast world. He reflects that the village system at least gave people periods of safety.
• Madara reveals he survived their battle at the Valley of the End, lived for decades, and used Hashirama’s cells to awaken the Rinnegan. He also trained a disciple, whom he credits in part for the two men’s resurrection.
• Madara claims Hashirama stopped pursuing change because founding Konoha gave him something to protect and made him afraid to risk it. Hashirama asks how Madara intends to achieve eternal peace, but Madara does not answer.
• Sasuke’s First Assault Unit arrives. Madara summons two meteors with Tengai Shinsei, but Sasuke’s Complete Body Susanoo destroys both, impressing Hashirama and reassuring the allied forces.
• Madara counters by manifesting his own Complete Body Susanoo, beginning a battle with Sasuke in the sky.
• Hashirama launches Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees, transforming the rocky battlefield into a vast forest and scattering or incapacitating many allied ninjas. A giant flower bud appears at the forest’s center.

Character developments

• Hashirama remains committed to cautious, community-based peace and recognizes the limits of his ability to govern. Madara’s accusation leaves him silent, suggesting he is forced to consider whether his caution has become fear.
• Madara presents himself as someone who continued to change and grow after their final battle. His survival, pursuit of the Rinnegan, and belief in imposed unity reveal the depth of his ambition.
• Sasuke demonstrates extraordinary power and composure, successfully countering Madara’s catastrophic attack and earning Hashirama’s admiration.
• The allied forces and observers swing from panic to confidence after Sasuke destroys the meteors, then face renewed danger when Hashirama alters the battlefield.

Significant themes

• Peace versus control: Hashirama believes imperfect institutions can still protect people; Madara seeks a more sweeping solution imposed through strength.
• Evolution and fear of change: Madara argues that both men evolved, but that Hashirama’s attachments eventually restrained him.
• The burden of protection: Having something precious to defend can inspire peace, yet may also make someone unwilling to take risks.
• Power and its consequences: The clash between Madara and Sasuke—and Hashirama’s forest-creating technique—shows how individual strength can reshape the battlefield and endanger entire armies.

Character interactions

• Hashirama and Madara speak as old friends despite their opposing visions, revisiting their shared past and challenging each other’s motives.
• Sasuke leads the First Assault Unit and acts quickly to protect it, warning Gaara before destroying Madara’s meteors.
• Hashirama openly praises Sasuke, while the allied shinobi and nobles react with awe and fear to the display of power.
• Madara’s attack on Sasuke is followed by Hashirama’s intervention, turning the confrontation into a wider threat for the assembled forces.

Plot points and events

• Hashirama’s pollen-spreading flowers threaten to put the Allied Shinobi Forces to sleep. Gaara tries to protect the army and confronts Hashirama, but Hashirama’s Wood Dragon absorbs the chakra sustaining Gaara’s sand defenses.
• Temari and the Sand Ninjas use Wind Release to hold back the pollen. Hyuga members create safe zones with Rotation, then use their Byakugan to regroup the scattered forces.
• Samurai and shinobi from several villages combine their abilities to resist Hashirama’s forest. Seeing their cooperation, Hashirama briefly considers that a united shinobi world might be possible.
• Gaara attacks Hashirama with sand, but a Wood Golem and Dragon defeat the assault. Meanwhile, Orochimaru- and Kabuto-created monsters—White Zetsu enhanced with Hashirama cells and Cursed Seals—emerge from the forest and kill several allied ninjas.
• Madara arrives and tells Gaara to protect the army while he faces Hashirama. He immediately unleashes a vast fire technique, burning half the forest and destroying more than a hundred monsters.

Character developments and interactions

• Gaara shows quick thinking and courage, but learns that his sand is vulnerable to Hashirama’s chakra-absorbing Wood Dragon.
• Temari fiercely defends her younger brother and helps the Sand Ninjas protect the army.
• Hashirama fights under Orochimaru’s control but retains some freedom and avoids killing when possible. The allied forces’ cooperation gives him hope for peace.
• Madara arrives as a powerful, reassuring leader. His presence revives the army’s confidence, and he takes responsibility for confronting Hashirama while directing Gaara to defend the others.
• The Hyuga Branch Family’s access to Rotation reflects a major change in the clan’s restrictions and enables them to contribute meaningfully.

Significant themes

• Unity across former rivals: Shinobi and samurai from different lands cooperate against a common threat.
• Leadership and protection: Temari, Gaara, and Madara each act to safeguard others.
• The cost of the past returning: Reanimated legends and engineered monsters threaten the living, while Hashirama recognizes that the world may have moved closer to his dream of unity.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• Hashirama Senju meets the Fifth Hokage, Madara, and admires his leadership in uniting the Allied Shinobi Forces. Gaara leaves Madara to face Hashirama and heads into the forest to fight the enemy army.
• Madara and Itachi prepare to engage Hashirama. At headquarters, the nobles marvel at Madara’s Susanoo, while Ao questions its resemblance to Edo Madara’s. Uchiha Ajin rebukes him, reflecting the clan’s powerful standing and the respect—and fear—Madara commands.
• Elsewhere, Sasuke and Edo Madara trade blows. Madara praises Sasuke and privately sees a resemblance to his younger brother, Izuna, regretting that Izuna never received the admiration Sasuke now enjoys.
• Sasuke asks why Madara is capturing the tailed beasts and waging war. Madara presents the Eye of the Moon Plan: use the Ten-Tails to cast a worldwide genjutsu and create a conflict-free dream world.
• Black Zetsu explains that the Demonic Statue is the Ten-Tails and urges Sasuke to become its jinchūriki. He promises Sasuke a dream in which every desire can be fulfilled and past regrets erased.
• Sasuke refuses, saying he has no regrets and values a real, continuing life over an illusion. Madara is deeply affected, then laughs at Sasuke’s response.

Character developments and interactions

• Sasuke shows confidence in his life and rejects the temptation to escape reality, revealing a contentment that contrasts with the grief and regret driving Madara’s plan.
• Edo Madara is moved by Sasuke’s answer and recognizes in him both a resemblance to Izuna and the happy life he had wanted for his brother.
• Black Zetsu repeats his manipulative pitch, expecting Sasuke to accept the same promise that persuaded others.
• Hashirama approaches Madara with respect and curiosity, while Gaara trusts Madara to handle him.
• Ao and Ajin clash over Madara’s Susanoo, illustrating how fiercely the Uchiha are now protected and revered.

Significant themes

• Reality versus illusion: Sasuke argues that genuine life and forward motion are more valuable than a perfect dream.
• Regret and the desire to protect loved ones: Madara’s plan is rooted in wanting to spare others the pain he associates with Izuna’s life.
• Leadership and power: Madara’s role in uniting the shinobi nations has earned the Uchiha extraordinary influence.
• Different visions of peace: Madara seeks peace by ending conflict through genjutsu; Sasuke rejects peace that requires abandoning reality.

Key plot points and events

• Sasuke and Edo Madara duel in their Susanoo. Sasuke uses Amenotejikara to attack from behind, while Madara narrowly evades the Totsuka Blade.
• Madara deliberately throws Black Zetsu into Sasuke’s path. Sasuke seals him with the Totsuka Blade; Madara reveals that Black Zetsu had outlived his usefulness and could not be permanently destroyed.
• Sasuke resumes attacking. His Susanoo’s Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror give him a major advantage, though Madara counters with flames and Wood Release.
• Madara uses the chaos to descend to the battlefield, where Hashirama catches him. Sasuke joins Hokage Madara, turning the fight against Hashirama and Edo Madara into a two-on-two battle.
• Hashirama and Edo Madara attack together, but Sasuke and Hokage Madara use their spatial techniques to evade and counter. They ultimately immobilize Hashirama with chakra-infused Black Rods.
• As the First Hokage looks at Hokage Madara’s eyes, he has a sudden, troubling realization; the chapter ends before it is explained.

Character developments

• Sasuke demonstrates sharp tactical instincts, adapting to Edo Madara’s style and coordinating effectively with Hokage Madara.
• Edo Madara shows strategic pragmatism by sacrificing Black Zetsu and changing tactics when Sasuke’s weapons prove difficult to overcome. He also recognizes the limits imposed by his reincarnated state.
• Hokage Madara reveals intimate knowledge of Hashirama’s habits, helping set up the decisive counterattack.
• Hashirama recognizes Sasuke’s extraordinary power, but is caught by the brothers’ coordination and familiarity with his movements.

Significant themes

• Strategic adaptation: Both sides alter their approach as the battle shifts, and preparation proves as important as raw power.
• Knowledge and familiarity: Shared Uchiha heritage helps Sasuke read Edo Madara, while Hokage Madara’s knowledge of Hashirama becomes decisive.
• Limits of power: Edo Madara’s experience cannot fully compensate for his reincarnated body’s restrictions or Sasuke’s exceptional equipment.
• Trust and betrayal: Madara discards Black Zetsu when he no longer serves a purpose.

Character interactions

• Sasuke and Edo Madara exchange respectful, competitive remarks amid their duel.
• Madara’s betrayal of Black Zetsu shocks him, and Black Zetsu pleads for help before being sealed.
• Sasuke joins forces with Hokage Madara, whose coordinated attacks capitalize on their complementary spatial abilities.
• Hashirama and Edo Madara fight as partners against them, but Hokage Madara’s familiarity with Hashirama’s instincts turns the exchange in the brothers’ favor.

Plot points and events

• After Sasuke helps Hokage Madara defeat the First Hokage, Madara sends Sasuke and Gaara to subdue the remaining forces in the Land of Earth. He stays behind to confront Edo Madara.
• Hokage Madara easily breaks Edo Madara’s fist, explaining that his power comes not merely from Hashirama’s cells but from mastering nature energy. He takes Edo Madara to Orochimaru’s underground base.
• Orochimaru and Kabuto worry that Madara will discard them once they are no longer useful. Madara assures them he will not betray them and reiterates his aim: unite the shinobi world into one nation and create a world without ninja.
• With Sasuke’s and Naruto’s forces occupied elsewhere—and Karin preventing headquarters from sensing him—Madara judges the moment ideal to become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki. He summons the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, which contains some of the Eight-Tails’ chakra and half of the Nine-Tails’.
• Madara recalls that, in his previous life, Black Zetsu manipulated him into absorbing the God Tree, allowing Kaguya to take over his body. Determined not to repeat that mistake, he begins taking control of the statue himself.
• Meanwhile, Naruto leads a surprise attack in the Land of Lightning. Sasori confronts him and asks for Sasuke, but Naruto says Sasuke is busy fighting Madara. Deidara and several reincarnated Kage then appear, setting up a new confrontation.

Character developments and interactions

• Hokage Madara demonstrates a major increase in power through nature-energy mastery and acts with confidence and strategic timing. He reassures Orochimaru and Kabuto while pursuing a larger goal that will eventually require ultimate power.
• Sasuke shows complete trust in Madara, obeying his orders without hesitation; he and Gaara take responsibility for the Land of Earth.
• Orochimaru and Kabuto remain cautious, but their desire to witness Madara’s promised new world persuades them to cooperate.
• Edo Madara recognizes and admires Hokage Madara’s strength, while openly voicing Orochimaru and Kabuto’s fear of being betrayed.
• Naruto takes command of his forces and shields Sasuke from Sasori’s challenge, though Sasori’s arrival—and the appearance of other reanimated enemies—interrupts his campaign.

Significant themes

• Power and self-mastery: Madara’s progress depends on understanding nature energy, not simply acquiring another person’s cells.
• Trust and betrayal: Madara promises loyalty, while his past manipulation by Black Zetsu makes him determined to avoid being used again.
• Idealism and control: Madara’s vision of peace is bound to unifying the world and attaining overwhelming power.
• Timing and parallel conflict: Madara seizes an opening while Naruto and Sasuke are occupied, as new threats emerge on Naruto’s front.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• Naruto, Mei Terumi, and their allied force encounter the resurrected Second Mizukage, Second Tsuchikage, and Second Hokage, who ask what has happened to their villages.
• Naruto explains that Madara Uchiha destroyed the Land of Earth, while the Lands of Wind, Water, and Fire remain intact. Their allied forces have split up to rescue the Lands of Earth and Lightning.
• Sasori attacks, summoning hundreds of puppets, and threatens to kill Sasuke. Naruto rushes him with a Sage Art: Big Ball Rasengan, but the Second Hokage saves Sasori with Flying Thunder God.
• Deidara attacks from the sky with a powerful clay bomb. Neji identifies the technique, and Mei and Kakashi combine Water and Lightning Releases to neutralize it.
• The Second Hokage tries to ambush Naruto’s troops, but Naruto intercepts him. The Hokage evades Naruto’s strike with Flying Thunder God, yet Sage Mode sends him flying when he reappears.
• Kisame arrives with Samehada and announces that the sword is drawn to Naruto’s chakra. Might Guy steps in to fight Kisame, leaving Naruto to face the Second Hokage.

Character developments

• Naruto shows greatly increased speed and decisive command of the battlefield. He is protective of his troops and reacts angrily to Sasori’s threat against Sasuke.
• The Second Hokage is forced to fight under Orochimaru’s control and regrets having created Impure World Reincarnation. Despite their clash, he is impressed and pleased by Naruto’s strength as a Konoha shinobi.
• Deidara remains hostile but cautious around Naruto after their previous encounter, choosing to attack from a distance and target Naruto’s subordinates instead.
• Sasori acts impatiently and aggressively, eager to fight and intent on killing Sasuke.
• Guy takes responsibility for confronting Kisame so Naruto can remain focused on the Hokage.

Significant themes

• Duty versus control: The resurrected Kage are compelled to fight despite their own feelings and loyalties.
• Leadership and protection: Naruto’s role as commander shapes his choices, while his allies work together to shield the army from threats.
• Legacy and regret: The Second Hokage’s reaction to Naruto contrasts his pride in Konoha’s younger generation with his remorse over the technique that brought him back.
• Matching opponents: The chapter frames the battlefield through the idea that major fighters should face comparable rivals.

Character interactions

• Mei recognizes the Second Mizukage, and Naruto recognizes the Second Hokage; the former Kage question them about the fate of their villages.
• The Second Mizukage mocks the Second Tsuchikage, suggesting their rivalry persists even after resurrection.
• Naruto clashes with the Second Hokage, whose Flying Thunder God repeatedly counters Naruto’s speed.
• Neji, Mei, and Kakashi coordinate to stop Deidara’s bomb.
• Kisame challenges Naruto, but Guy intervenes to take him on.

Key plot points and events

• The Allied Second Attack Force confronts Kisame and the reincarnated Second Mizukage. The team’s assignments reflect their opponents’ strengths: Might Guy is matched against Kisame, while Naruto is suited to counter the Second Hokage’s Flying Thunder God speed.
• Guy opens the Eight Gates’ Gate of View and lands a powerful blow on Kisame. To keep the dangerous fight away from living allies, he tries to move their battle elsewhere, though Kisame would rather fight amid a crowd.
• The Second Mizukage spreads mist with his summoning beast, intending to trap the Allied forces in an illusion. Neji leads the Byakugan Squad into the mist, with Hyuga elder Hayato joining them, while Naruto stays to face Tobirama.
• Naruto explains that the Hyuga Branch Family’s Caged Bird Seal has been abolished and that the clan no longer separates Main and Branch Families—a reform led by Hokage Madara, whom Naruto calls Uchiha Itachi.
• Tobirama, concerned about Itachi’s forceful leadership and Uchiha tendencies, asks Naruto to protect the people important to the Hokage.

Character developments and interactions

• Guy and Kisame show mutual respect as formidable fighters, though they disagree about where to battle.
• Neji demonstrates confidence as a commander, telling Naruto to focus on the enemy commander and trusting his squad to handle the Mizukage. Hayato grumbles about Neji taking the lead but follows him.
• Naruto speaks proudly of Itachi and the changes made under his leadership. His warmth also reminds Tobirama of his brother, Hashirama.
• Tobirama emerges as deeply protective of Konoha and wary of Itachi. Though he trusts Naruto’s character, he asks him to act as a safeguard against the possibility that Itachi could become destructive.

Significant themes

• Leadership and trust: Naruto’s faith in Itachi contrasts with Tobirama’s suspicion, while Neji earns trust by delegating responsibility.
• Reform and equality: The Hyuga clan’s abolition of its internal caste system marks a major social change.
• Fear of power and extremism: Tobirama worries that an Uchiha leader’s personal grief could threaten the village.
• Duty across generations: Despite being on opposing sides, Tobirama asks Naruto to protect Konoha’s future and its Hokage.

Key plot points and events

• Neji and the Hyuga Branch Family confront the Second Mizukage and his mist-producing clam, whose illusions are less effective against Byakugan users.
• Neji’s new technique, Eight Trigrams Palm: Heaven-Breaker, appears to leave the clam’s shell unharmed. In fact, its Gentle Fist force passes through the shell and damages the creature internally, stopping it from producing mist.
• Hayato and the others exploit the opening and attack the Mizukage. The Mizukage summons explosive water-and-oil clones with his signature technique, Steaming Danger Tyranny.
• One clone explodes after Hayato throws it to the ground. While the Mizukage assumes Hayato has been caught in the blast, Neji attacks him from behind and strikes his tenketsu, disrupting his chakra flow.

Character developments and interactions

• Neji demonstrates ingenuity and confidence: he has adapted the principles of Rotation and the Rasengan into a technique that defeats the clam without breaking its shell. He also applies his knowledge of chakra points to an Impure World Reincarnation body.
• Hayato shows the speed and taijutsu skill gained through Madara’s training, though his apparent recklessness draws the Mizukage’s attention and creates an opening for Neji.
• The Second Mizukage begins by mocking the young ninja and holding back because many opponents are from his own village. Impressed by Neji’s technique, he praises him, then underestimates the team’s coordination.
• Neji and Hayato work together: Neji disables the Mizukage’s summon, Hayato pressures the enemy, and Neji uses the distraction to strike the Mizukage directly.

Significant themes

• Ingenuity over brute force: Neji’s attack succeeds by bypassing the clam’s shell rather than breaking it.
• Teamwork and tactical misdirection: The team’s coordinated pressure turns the Mizukage’s confidence and focus against him.
• Skill and experience: The young Hyuga fighters prove they can challenge a powerful veteran through training, adaptability, and precise technique.

Key plot points and events

• Kakashi and Mei Terumi trap Deidara by combining lightning-infused water dragons with Mei’s Lava Release, forcing him into the gap Kakashi anticipated.
• Kakashi uses Mangekyō Sharingan and Kamui to cut Deidara in two. Kirigakure’s Water Dragon Bullet brings him down, and Konoha’s Sealing Squad seals him.
• Naruto uses his sensory ability and a carefully planned feint to locate and strike the concealed Second Tsuchikage with Sage Art: Big Ball Rasengan. He prevents the Tsuchikage from splitting apart to escape and hands him over to the sealing team.
• The Third Kazekage attacks Naruto with an Iron Sand Barrier. Naruto transforms into a giant golden fox and destroys both the barrier and the Kazekage with a Tailed Beast Bomb, preventing his Impure World Reincarnation body from regenerating.
• With every other Kage defeated and Akatsuki’s forces routed, the Second Hokage is left facing Naruto and the Allied Shinobi Forces, numbering over ten thousand.

Character developments and interactions

• Kakashi’s tactical skill and powerful Kamui impress Mei, who recognizes that he carefully arranged the battle’s earlier moves to create the opening for his attack.
• Mei’s respect for Konoha grows as she observes Kakashi, Jiraiya, Naruto, and Neji’s squad defeat powerful opponents.
• Naruto demonstrates both strategic foresight and exceptional sensory skills, while reassuring the allied army through his decisive victory over the Third Kazekage.
• The Second Hokage praises Naruto’s execution and acknowledges Konoha’s talent. Faced with the allied army’s overwhelming numbers, he accepts the hopelessness of his position.

Significant themes

• Planning and teamwork: Kakashi and Mei coordinate their attacks, while Konoha’s sealing team follows through once enemies are defeated.
• Konoha’s strength and talent: Mei and the Second Hokage both recognize the village’s exceptional shinobi.
• Power and morale: Naruto’s victories reinforce the Allied Shinobi Forces’ confidence, while the sheer size of the army leaves the Second Hokage with little chance of resistance.

Plot points

• Neji’s Hyuga squad combines its techniques to defeat the Second Mizukage’s explosive clone: Hayato blocks the blast with a modified Heavenly Spin, the squad knocks the clone aside with Vacuum Palm, and Neji traps the Mizukage with Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. The sealing unit seals him.
• Sasori sends his poisoned puppet army against the squad. Jiraiya arrives on Gamabunta and insists on taking over, despite Hayato’s protest that the Hyuga can handle the fight.
• Jiraiya and Gamabunta drench the puppets in toad oil, then burn them with a fire technique. Jiraiya follows up with a Sage Art Big Ball Rasengan, shattering Sasori, and seals his Impure World Reincarnation body.
• Jiraiya declines to help Kakashi and the Fifth Mizukage against Deidara, trusting their plan. He leaves Sage Mode and reflects on Konoha’s strength and the Allies’ prospects for victory.

Character developments and interactions

• Neji and his Hyuga teammates show strong coordination and confidence, successfully defeating a major opponent without outside help.
• Hayato is eager for the squad to keep fighting and resents Jiraiya stepping in. Jiraiya, in turn, claims he needs to contribute or the Hokage will punish him, though he is plainly keen to fight.
• Jiraiya displays tactical skill as well as power: he studies Sasori, identifies a weakness, and uses Sage Mode to win quickly. He also enjoys the admiration of the watching ninja.
• Kakashi and the Fifth Mizukage remain confident in their own strategy against Deidara, while Jiraiya respects their request to handle the battle themselves.

Significant themes

• Teamwork and competence: The Hyuga squad’s combined tactics are effective, even against formidable opponents.
• Experience and adaptability: Jiraiya’s observation and planning matter as much as his strength.
• Renewed confidence: Unlike during the Third Shinobi World War, Jiraiya now believes Konoha and the Allied forces have the power to win.