Chapter Summaries

Minato and Kushina prepared to seal the Nine-Tails at the cost of their lives while Rin fought Obito. Just as Minato began the sealing, Tetsuya appeared and revealed his identity.

• Minato teleported the Nine-Tails out of Konoha, but Obito brought the beast back and ordered it to destroy the village.
• Kushina restrained the Nine-Tails with her chains and told Minato she planned to seal it inside herself and die.
• Minato resolved to seal Kushina's remaining chakra inside Naruto and use the Reaper Death Seal on the Nine-Tails, while Rin fought Obito.
• Obito released his control of the Nine-Tails, which broke free and pierced Minato and Kushina with a claw.
• Kushina gave Naruto her final advice as Minato began the Eight Trigrams Seal and summoned the Shinigami.
• Tetsuya arrived, and Minato recognized him as Chiba Satoru before Tetsuya corrected him and gave his name as Chiba Tetsuya.

Tetsuya arranged for Kushina’s soul to be sealed inside Naruto so she could witness him grow up, while Minato sealed half of the Nine-Tails into Naruto and the other half into the Shinigami. After Obito escaped, Tetsuya entrusted the sleeping Naruto to Rin and told her to return after handing him over to Konoha.

• Tetsuya silenced and controlled the Nine-Tails, then promised Kushina she could watch Naruto grow up if she accepted a condition to be discussed later.
• Minato used the Reaper Death Seal to seal half of the Nine-Tails inside the Shinigami, and Tetsuya extracted Kushina’s soul with the Soul-Seizing Technique.
• Tetsuya sealed Kushina’s soul and the remaining half of the Nine-Tails inside Naruto, creating a sealed space where Kushina slept beside the fox’s cage.
• Obito retreated through Kamui after the Nine-Tails disappeared, and Rin angrily struck the ground before running to find Minato.
• Rin found Tetsuya holding the sleeping Naruto, and Tetsuya placed the child in her arms and told her to hand him over to Konoha before returning.

Rin delivered Naruto to Hiruzen Sarutobi after learning that Minato and Kushina had died, then returned to Tetsuya grieving and determined to avenge them. Tetsuya comforted her, supported her resolve, and gave her scrolls for the Flying Thunder God and Rasengan as she prepared to train.

• Rin placed Naruto in Hiruzen Sarutobi's arms and told him that Minato and Kushina had given their lives, then vanished before he could learn her identity.
• Kushina's soul watched Hiruzen Sarutobi from within Naruto's sealing space and asked him to care for her son.
• Rin returned to the Weasel Burial Mound and broke down in Tetsuya's arms over the deaths of Obito, Minato, and Kushina.
• Tetsuya explained that hatred and war fed each other, reassured Rin that he would not leave her, and supported her determination to avenge Minato and Kushina.
• Tetsuya gave Rin scrolls containing the Flying Thunder God and Rasengan, and Rin vowed to train until she mastered them.

After the Fourth Hokage died defending Konoha from the Nine-Tails' Attack, Danzo sought Orochimaru's support in becoming Fifth Hokage and promised to provide people for Orochimaru's experiments. Danzo then proposed that Konoha immediately choose a new leader, leaving the village's leadership undecided.

• Danzo celebrated the Fourth Hokage's death and decided to pursue the Hokage position.
• Danzo visited Orochimaru's laboratory and told him that the Fourth Hokage and his wife had died during the Nine-Tails' Attack.
• Danzo asked Orochimaru to support him as Hokage, and Orochimaru requested living subjects for his research.
• Danzo agreed to Orochimaru's request, and the two formed a partnership.
• Danzo addressed Konoha's leaders and clan representatives, proposing that they immediately choose a new leader.

After the Fourth Hokage and his wife died in the Nine-Tails’ attack, Hiruzen Sarutobi reclaimed the Hokage’s seat, defeating Danzo’s bid for power. At the Land of Grass Daimyo’s Mansion, Tetsuya’s report prompted Tobirama and Izuna to argue over Konoha’s losses and Hiruzen’s return.

• Danzo nominated himself as the next Hokage and received support from Orochimaru and several others.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi entered the conference room in the Third’s Kage Robe, resumed the Hokage’s duties, and won the support of most of Konoha’s leadership.
• Danzo angrily accepted defeat, while Orochimaru sat down without objecting.
• At the Daimyo’s Mansion in the Land of Grass, Tobirama learned from Tetsuya that the Masked Man had released the Nine-Tails and caused the deaths of Minato and his wife.
• Tobirama and Izuna argued over whether Tobirama could defeat the Masked Man, before Tetsuya urged them to focus on Konoha’s recovery.
• After reading a report that Hiruzen had returned to power, Izuna mocked Tobirama, who defended Hiruzen but recognized that his return could look self-serving.

Shimura Danzō accepted Orochimaru’s demand for access to Root prisoners and went to seek compensation from Hiruzen Sarutobi. In the Hokage Office, Danzō demanded that Hiruzen hand over Naruto to Root, but Hiruzen refused and Danzō left in anger.

• Orochimaru reminded Shimura Danzō that he had fulfilled his part of their agreement and demanded access to prisoners and resources for his experiments.
• Shimura Danzō allowed Orochimaru to use prisoners in the Root Prison and headed to the Hokage Building to demand compensation from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Danzō burst into the Hokage Office and startled Naruto, whom Hiruzen was holding.
• Danzō recognized Naruto as Minato’s son and the new Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, then demanded that Root train him as a weapon.
• Hiruzen refused to hand Naruto over, insisting that he was a member of the village, and Danzō stormed out.

As missing people vanished across Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi suspected Danzo and Orochimaru were continuing their forbidden research, but neither gave him answers. Meanwhile, Tetsuya showed the Daimyos of the Land of Birds and the Land of Rivers the Land of Grass’s prosperity, and they asked to cooperate with him.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi received missing-person reports from across Konoha and ordered an investigation and increased patrols.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi questioned Danzo about the disappearances, but Danzo denied knowing anything and insisted he acted for Konoha.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi visited Orochimaru and sensed distance between himself and his student.
• Yahiko expanded cooperation between the Land of Rain and the Land of Grass, while the Land of Birds and the Land of Rivers grew envious of their prosperity.
• Tetsuya toured the Daimyos of the Land of Birds and the Land of Rivers around the Land of Grass’s capital and hosted them at his mansion.
• The two Daimyos asked Tetsuya to cooperate with their nations so they could achieve development like the Land of Rain.

Tetsuya persuaded the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers and the Land of Birds to join a commerce-focused alliance with the Land of Grass, and they offered to invite the Land of Bears. He sent the Chiba Commerce Association to begin preparations, then visited Kakuzu at the finance office to discuss funding requests.

• Tetsuya showed the two Daimyo his agreement with Hanzo of the Salamander, and they were shocked by its terms.
• Tetsuya proposed a Commercial Alliance among the small countries, and the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers and the Land of Birds agreed to join.
• The two Daimyo offered to invite the Land of Bears, and Tetsuya accepted the suggestion.
• Tetsuya sent members of the Chiba Commerce Association to begin preparations in the Land of Rivers and the Land of Birds.
• Tetsuya visited Kakuzu, who defended rejecting or cutting funding requests as unreasonable.

Tetsuya asked Kakuzu whether he wanted to return to Takigakure and help bring the Land of Waterfalls under Tetsuya’s control. Kakuzu agreed, and Tetsuya planned to have the Daimyo clear his rogue ninja status before they visited the village.

• Tetsuya learned that Kakuzu counted the treasury every day because he loved money itself.
• Kakuzu recalled how Takigakure’s leaders blamed him after his failed mission to assassinate Hashirama Senju, leading him to kill them and become a rogue ninja.
• Kakuzu described Takigakure as isolated and out of touch, and Tetsuya asked him to take over the village and help control the Land of Waterfalls.
• Tetsuya explained his plan to consolidate the Small Nations before challenging the major countries, and Kakuzu agreed to return to Takigakure.
• Tetsuya offered to have the Land of Waterfalls’ Daimyo clear Kakuzu’s rogue ninja status, and Kakuzu thanked him.

Tetsuya visited the Land of Waterfalls with Kakuzu while Konoha uncovered Orochimaru’s human experiments and his defection. After Kakuzu returned to Takigakure, Tetsuya brought the news back to the Daimyo’s Mansion, where Izuna demanded permission to hunt Orochimaru.

• Tetsuya explained to Kakuzu that their visit to the Land of Waterfalls was being presented as a formal exchange between neighboring countries, with Kakuzu’s missing-nin status only a secondary concern.
• Kakuzu promised to take control of Takigakure after returning, and Tetsuya cautioned him not to rush.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi revealed evidence of Orochimaru’s underground human experiments, and Orochimaru defected from Konoha.
• Jiraiya returned to Konoha after hearing of Orochimaru’s defection and set out to bring him back to face justice.
• Tetsuya returned from the Land of Waterfalls with news of Orochimaru’s defection and said he had sent Kakuzu back to Takigakure.
• Izuna asked Tetsuya for permission to hunt down Orochimaru, while Tobirama Senju tried to stop him.

Tobirama Senju and Izuna argued over whether the Uchiha Clan belonged to them, while Tetsuya asked why the clan was headed for destruction. Tobirama explained that the aging, weakened Konoha could no longer contain the Uchiha’s ambitions, making rebellion and the clan’s destruction inevitable.

• Tetsuya told Tobirama Senju that Jiraiya had gone to deal with Orochimaru, and Tobirama agreed to leave the matter to Hiruzen Sarutobi’s students.
• Izuna told Tobirama that the present Uchiha Clan had nothing to do with him because Tobirama’s actions had forced Madara Uchiha out of Konoha.
• Tetsuya said the Uchiha Clan was heading toward destruction, and Tobirama agreed that he had realized this after being resurrected.
• Tobirama called the Uchiha Clan a cursed blade that Konoha could barely control, prompting Izuna to challenge his view of the clan and Konoha’s supposed big family.
• Tobirama explained that the Uchiha Clan wanted the Hokage position but lacked Konoha’s recognition, while the weakened village and aging Monkey could no longer restrain its ambitions.

Tobirama and Izuna argued over the Uchiha Clan’s strength and future while Tetsuya recalled Orochimaru’s expected path after leaving Konoha. Orochimaru instead entered the Land of Grass, and Tetsuya prepared to see what he would do.

• Tobirama challenged Izuna to choose whether to take the Uchiha Clan from Konoha or help it overthrow the village, and vowed to defend Konoha.
• Izuna argued with Tobirama about the Uchiha and Senju Clans, while Tetsuya noted that young Sasuke Uchiha fit Izuna’s ideal of an Uchiha.
• Tetsuya recalled that Orochimaru was expected to join the Akatsuki, seek the Rinnegan, establish Otogakure, and later attack Konoha.
• Orochimaru blamed Hiruzen Sarutobi for protecting Danzo and condemned Konoha before leaving the Land of Fire for the Land of Grass.
• Huang Bai told Tetsuya that Orochimaru had entered the Land of Grass, and Tetsuya welcomed the unexpected change to Orochimaru’s path.

Orochimaru disguised himself as a merchant and visited the Land of Grass capital, where he ate at a ramen shop tied to Chiba Tetsuya’s past. The cook revealed himself to be Chiba Tetsuya, leaving Orochimaru to confront his old acquaintance.

• Orochimaru arrived in the Land of Grass capital disguised as the merchant Daromaru and reflected on Chiba Tetsuya’s rise to daimyo.
• Saburo Oda befriended Orochimaru and led him to a ramen shop, where they ordered their meals.
• Orochimaru recognized dishes from Chiba’s old ramen shop and reassured himself that Chiba had shared the recipes.
• After tasting the Flame-Fried Noodles, Orochimaru recognized the familiar flavor, and Chiba Tetsuya asked whether his cooking had worsened.

Chiba Tetsuya met Orochimaru, who realized Tetsuya had used several identities and questioned him about his true appearance and apparent immortality. Tetsuya revealed his immense chakra and explained that he had reached the Six Paths realm through accumulated power, leaving Orochimaru stunned and unable to move.

• Orochimaru recognized Chiba Tetsuya, Chiba Ryo, and Chiba Satoru as connected identities, and Tetsuya clarified that Satoru was his real grandson.
• Tetsuya and Orochimaru ate together while Orochimaru asked who Tetsuya was and whether his appearance was genuine.
• Tetsuya said he was Chiba Tetsuya and that his current appearance was his true one, exciting Orochimaru with the prospect of immortality.
• Tetsuya released his Chakra Seal and confined his overwhelming chakra within the shop, leaving Orochimaru frightened and immobile.
• Tetsuya explained that he had reached the Six Paths realm by accumulating and transforming vast quantities of chakra, and Orochimaru declared it impossible.

Tetsuya questioned Orochimaru about why he had come to the Land of Grass and what he planned to do there. After learning Orochimaru intended to establish a shinobi village and eventually return to destroy Konoha, Tetsuya hinted that someone connected to Orochimaru wanted him dead, leaving Orochimaru guessing who it was.

• Orochimaru praised Tetsuya’s existence for confirming that his research was on the right path, and Tetsuya offered to erase Orochimaru’s memories of him.
• Tetsuya asked why Orochimaru had come to the Land of Grass, and Orochimaru said he needed money and resources and expected his ties to Tetsuya to deter attackers.
• Orochimaru revealed that he had planned to establish a shinobi village in the Land of Grass, build his strength, and eventually return to destroy Konoha.
• Tetsuya told Orochimaru that someone in the Land of Grass wanted to kill him and offered clues about the person’s connection to him.
• Orochimaru considered the clues and began to guess the person’s identity.

Tetsuya confirmed that Orochimaru believed the mysterious pursuer was Tobirama Senju, and Orochimaru left the Land of Grass to avoid him. Later, Tetsuya’s Small Nations Commercial Alliance held its first conference in the Land of Iron, while the great nations dismissed it as insignificant.

• Tetsuya confirmed Orochimaru’s deduction that Tobirama Senju was the person who might be hunting him.
• Orochimaru decided to leave the Land of Grass, saying he would not resist if Tetsuya chose to kill him.
• After Orochimaru left, Tetsuya discovered Doggo’s Gacha Pool gave him computer parts instead of a complete computer.
• In year fifty-three of the Hokage calendar, six small countries met in the Land of Iron for the first Small Nations Commercial Alliance conference, and the Land of Iron joined.
• The great nations dismissed the alliance as a group of small countries with little influence.

After receiving intelligence that Cloud Village planned to exploit peace negotiations to target the Hyuga Clan, Tetsuya decided to make Neji his next project by supplying the cheat his life lacked. Tetsuya left for Konoha in disguise as Chiba Satoru, while the Cloud Village delegation headed there for the negotiations.

• Tetsuya received a letter from Yeruka and Yurubi warning him about Cloud Village's plan to kidnap Hinata during peace negotiations and pressure Hizashi Hyuga into sacrificing himself.
• Tetsuya reflected on Neji's tragic life and decided to give him a powerful advantage, potentially including the Tenseigan and chakra from an Ōtsutsuki.
• Tetsuya planned a power-up package for Neji and ruled out giving him a tailed beast while he remained in Konoha.
• Tetsuya left the Land of Grass for Konoha as Chiba Satoru, as the Cloud Village delegation departed the Land of Lightning for Konoha.

Tetsuya, using the identity Chiba Satoru, met a lonely young Naruto in Konoha and offered him food and support. He ordered the Chiba Commerce Association’s shops to welcome Naruto and give him discounts, leaving Naruto with a place where he would be treated kindly.

• Tetsuya encountered Naruto being chased away by other children and learned that Naruto wanted friends.
• Tetsuya introduced himself as Chiba Satoru and reassured Naruto that he could find children willing to play with him.
• Naruto admitted he was hungry, so Tetsuya took him to a barbecue restaurant and told him to order whatever he wanted.
• Tetsuya noticed the restaurant owner’s discomfort around Naruto and ordered the Chiba Commerce Association to serve Naruto and give him discounts.

Tetsuya took Naruto out for barbecue and defied the restaurant owner's warning about Konoha's authorities. Hiruzen Sarutobi let them stay together to preserve ties with the Chiba family, then clashed with Shimura Danzō over Naruto's future.

• Tetsuya dismissed the barbecue owner's warning, invoked his family's influence, and let Naruto order everything on the menu.
• Naruto enjoyed the barbecue with Tetsuya while Kushina watched from within him, distressed by how Konoha treated her son.
• After learning that Tetsuya had taken Naruto out, Hiruzen Sarutobi decided not to interfere and ordered others to keep watch from a distance.
• Shimura Danzō stormed into the Hokage Office and demanded that Hiruzen hand Naruto over for training.
• Hiruzen refused, accusing Danzō of wanting to turn Naruto into a weapon, and Danzō left in anger.

Naruto said goodbye to Tetsuya, who anticipated the arrival of Kumogakure’s delegation and later discussed Konoha’s weakened position with Hatake Sakumo. The delegation arrived with a plan targeting the Hyuga Clan, while Tetsuya hinted that Konoha’s losses in the negotiations would be worse than Sakumo expected.

• Naruto finished a meal with Tetsuya, then headed home as Tetsuya recalled the past and anticipated Kumogakure’s arrival.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi welcomed Yeruka and Yurubi, who mocked Konoha and the dead Fourth Hokage before entering the village for the negotiations.
• Tetsuya told Hatake Sakumo that Tobirama Senju had been revived in the Land of Grass and suggested Sakumo visit him to complain about Konoha.
• Sakumo explained that Konoha was weakened by Minato’s death and the Nine-Tails’ Attack, leaving it at a disadvantage against Kumogakure.
• Yurubi and Yeruka confirmed they had investigated the Hyuga Clan and ordered their group to begin its plan when negotiations started.