Ch. 541Was Someone Trying to Start a Shinobi World War? No, Someone Who Could Fight the Entire Shinobi World Had Returned
Plot points and events
- Naruto convenes Konoha’s senior figures, including Shikamaru, Kakashi, Tsunade, and the village elders. The meeting is not about Boruto, Kawaki, or Kara, but a more alarming event.
- Shikamaru reveals that Naruto and he recently encountered the supposedly dead Madara Uchiha and First Hokage Hashirama Senju, alongside a mysterious young man with golden Rinnegan.
- Naruto recounts how the young man appeared through a portal, severed and restrained Code with ease, and revived Boruto after Kawaki killed him. The group then left, saying they would return after dealing with other matters.
- Naruto sensed no malice from Hashirama or Madara, but found the golden-eyed stranger unsettling: despite his friendly manner, he seemed indifferent to people’s lives.
- Shikamaru argues that Hashirama may still be the same person they knew, citing his concern over Kawaki’s renewed attempt to kill Boruto. He adds that Hashirama offered to help Naruto execute Kawaki.
- The discussion shifts to Kawaki’s actions and place in Konoha. Shikamaru and the elders condemn him for defying the Hokage and attacking the Hokage’s son, while Naruto struggles to defend him.
Character developments and interactions
- Naruto is shaken by the return of powerful figures and caught between his affection for Kawaki and his duty as Hokage. He tries to stop Shikamaru from exposing Kawaki’s actions to the council.
- Shikamaru takes a blunt, pragmatic stance, warning Naruto that protecting Kawaki damages both the village and the Hokage’s authority.
- Kakashi asks whether the visitors showed hostility, prompting Naruto to distinguish between Hashirama and Madara’s demeanor and the stranger’s unsettling presence.
- Homura and Koharu initially dismiss Naruto’s meeting as unnecessary, then become alarmed by Madara’s return. Homura later rebukes Naruto over Kawaki.
- The gathering’s members begin to view Boruto not only as Naruto’s child, but as the Hokage’s son—and Kawaki’s attack as an affront to Konoha itself.
Significant themes
- Power and uncertainty: The return of Hashirama and Madara, together with the stranger’s extraordinary abilities, threatens the peace Konoha has struggled to establish.
- Personal attachment versus public duty: Naruto’s desire to protect Kawaki clashes with his responsibilities as Hokage.
- Political consequences of family conflict: Kawaki’s attack on Boruto is treated as a challenge to the village’s authority, not merely a private quarrel.