Chapter Summaries

The Third Raikage prepared to exploit Rōshi’s escape, while Ōnoki decided to use Rōshi and the Four-Tails in a surprise attack against Konoha. At Iwagakure’s front, Rōshi learned that Konoha Silver Moon had killed his brother and agreed to wait for the Iwa Ninja before seeking revenge.

• The Third Raikage learned that Rōshi had escaped and ordered three thousand Cloud Ninja to gather for an attack on Ōnoki.
• Ōnoki reconsidered Rōshi’s escape and planned to combine his Dust Release with the Four-Tails’ Lava Style to devastate Konoha’s forces and kill Hayate Hoshi.
• Rōshi arrived at Iwagakure’s command camp and grabbed Akagi Kazuma, demanding to know how his brother had died.
• Akagi Kazuma blamed Konoha Silver Moon for the defeat and told Rōshi that his brother had died buying Iwagakure time.
• Rōshi set out to avenge his brother, but Akagi Kazuma persuaded him to wait until the Iwa Ninja had eaten and could join him.

Ōnoki agreed to help Rōshi avenge his brother Lava and led him to attack the Konoha Camp. Ōnoki’s Dust Release carved a massive ravine through the camp, but Hayate Hoshi, Jiraiya, and Shinku escaped the blast.

• Ōnoki told Rōshi he would help him kill Hayate Hoshi, then flew with him toward the Konoha Camp.
• Rōshi attacked the camp with Lava Style, killing a patrol squad and drawing out Konoha’s ninja.
• Ōnoki spotted Hoshi, Jiraiya, and Shinku and unleashed Dust Release: Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu at the command tent.
• Hoshi, Jiraiya, and Shinku escaped with the Body Flicker Technique as Ōnoki’s beam reduced everything in its path to dust.
• The Dust Release left a massive ravine through the camp, while the surviving Konoha ninja were left shaken.

After Ōnoki and Rōshi devastated the Konoha forces, Hoshi’s battle spirit awakened into the Heart of the Sword Master. He rallied Jiraiya and Shinku to face the two powerful enemies while ordering the surviving Konoha ninjas to withdraw and prepare to fight the Stone Hidden Ninjas.

• Hoshi saw the casualties caused by Ōnoki’s Dust Release and judged Rōshi’s endless lava attacks an even greater threat.
• Hoshi’s resolve transformed his aura, and his Sword Heart System recorded that he had comprehended the Heart of the Sword Master.
• Hoshi asked Jiraiya and Shinku to fight alongside him, and both accepted with renewed confidence.
• Hoshi ordered the surviving Konoha ninjas to retreat ten li and save their strength for the Stone Hidden Ninjas.
• Ōnoki resolved to kill Hoshi before he could grow stronger, while Rōshi felt reluctant admiration for his brother’s killer.

Hoshi stopped Rōshi’s lava from reaching the Konoha camp and moved to fight him, while Jiraiya and Shinku worked to hold off Ōnoki. The chapter ended with Rōshi’s Lava Gauntlet shattered and his hand wounded by Hoshi’s Sword Qi.

• Ōnoki and Rōshi unleashed Earth Spikes and Lava Release toward the Konoha camp, but Jiraiya threatened Ōnoki with Lion’s Mane Hair while Hoshi redirected the lava into a trench.
• Hoshi told Jiraiya and Shinku to hold Ōnoki back while he faced Rōshi.
• Shinku trapped Ōnoki in his Genjutsu Secret Art: Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, and Jiraiya summoned Fukasaku and Shima for help.
• Fukasaku and Shima joined Jiraiya and agreed to help him with Sage Art, while Shinku warned that he could not maintain the Genjutsu much longer.
• Hoshi provoked Rōshi into fighting him, and Rōshi’s Lava Gauntlet was shattered when he blocked Hoshi’s Sword Qi.

Hoshi fought Rōshi, the Four-Tails jinchuriki, and used water-attribute Sword Qi to counter his Lava Release. Hoshi broke through Rōshi’s defenses with Line of Moonlight and Swallow Reversal, leaving him gravely wounded but alive thanks to the Four-Tails’ healing.

• Rōshi activated Lava Release Chakra Mode and melted Hoshi’s test kunai with the heat of his lava armor.
• Hoshi converted his chakra to water and struck Rōshi with a Cross Slash, which broke through a granite wall before Rōshi dispersed it.
• Rōshi flooded the battlefield with lava spheres and prepared Scorching Rock Geyser as Hoshi closed the distance.
• Hoshi used Line of Moonlight to evade the eruption and carve away the lava armor at Rōshi’s left waist.
• Hoshi followed with Swallow Reversal, shattering Rōshi’s armor and inflicting a deep wound that the Four-Tails kept from being fatal.

After the Four-Tails seized control of Rōshi and transformed, Hoshi struggled to fight back against its devastating magma attacks. Hoshi opened the Sixth Gate, converted his Chakra to water nature, and charged across the magma toward the Four-Tails with a huge sphere of water.

• The Four-Tails battered Rōshi's seal until Rōshi lost consciousness, then took control of his body and fully transformed.
• Hoshi narrowly escaped as the Four-Tails erupted magma across the battlefield and smashed a rift into the plain with its Lava Style technique.
• The Konoha ninjas and Ōnoki witnessed the Four-Tails' power, while Hoshi realized he could not approach it through the surrounding magma.
• Hoshi opened the Sixth Gate, converted his Chakra into water-nature Chakra, and charged across the magma toward the Four-Tails.
• Hoshi swung Mikazuki Munechika and sent a massive sphere of water toward the Four-Tails.

Starry Night escaped the lava lake and reached the Four-Tails with a series of Water Breathing techniques. The chapter ended as he began Water Breathing’s Tenth Form, Life-Flowing Rotation, while standing on the Four-Tails.

• The Four-Tails destroyed Starry Night’s foothold with a magma ball, leaving him falling toward the lava.
• Kagetsu activated her Two-Tomoe Sharingan as she watched Starry Night in danger.
• Starry Night used Dance of the Startled Swan to teleport through the air and evade falling into the lava.
• Starry Night unleashed Water Breathing’s Eighth Form, Waterfall Basin, and opened a path through the lava to the ground.
• Starry Night used Line of Moonlight to wound the Four-Tails, then climbed onto its thigh and began Water Breathing’s Tenth Form, Life-Flowing Rotation.

Hoshi used Life-Flowing Rotation to form a powerful Water Dragon and badly wound the Four-Tails. Enraged, the beast began forming a Tailed Beast Bomb, while Ōnoki realized Hoshi stood between it and the Iwagakure ninja camp.

• Hoshi evaded the Four-Tails' attacks and used successive rotations with Mikazuki Munechika to build a Water Dragon around the beast's arm.
• Hoshi leaped before the Four-Tails and struck with the Water Dragon, tearing a severe wound through the beast's abdomen.
• The Four-Tails lost his reason in rage and began forming a Tailed Beast Bomb to kill Hoshi.
• Ōnoki recognized the Tailed Beast Bomb and realized its blast could destroy the Iwagakure camp behind Hoshi, killing the remaining three thousand Stone Hidden Ninja.

Ōnoki stopped the Four-Tails from completing a Tailed Beast Bomb, restrained it, and sealed it back into Rōshi. The explosion drew Sakumo toward the Iwagakure front, while Hoshi remained there watching.

• Ōnoki pierced the Four-Tails' mouth with Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu, causing it to spit out its Tailed Beast Bomb, which exploded high above the Land of Rain.
• Orochimaru and Tsunade tried to go check on Hoshi, but Sakumo stopped them and rushed toward the Iwagakure front, revealing that he had reached Kage-level.
• Ōnoki used Earth Release techniques to pin the Four-Tails down and sealed its mouth with Lime Congealing Technique when it began gathering another Tailed Beast Bomb.
• The Four-Tails' struggling reopened wounds from Hoshi's earlier slash and weakened it further.
• Ōnoki used a sealing jutsu to shrink the weakened Four-Tails back into Rōshi.

Ōnoki sealed the Four-Tails back into Rōshi, but Hayate Hoshi attacked while the two were weakened. Ōnoki rescued the unconscious Rōshi and fled to the Iwagakure Main Camp, leaving Konoha celebrating Hoshi’s victory.

• Ōnoki used the sealing jutsu’s resonance with Rōshi’s formula to seal the injured Four-Tails and save Rōshi from mortal danger.
• Hayate Hoshi ambushed Ōnoki with Line of Moonlight, and Ōnoki counterpunched him, breaking three of Hoshi’s ribs while throwing out his own back.
• Hoshi sent Sword Qi at Ōnoki, then targeted the unconscious Rōshi when Ōnoki rose into the air.
• Ōnoki blocked Hoshi’s attack with an Earth Wall, grabbed Rōshi, and flew toward the Iwagakure Main Camp despite his injured back.
• Konoha’s people cheered as Ōnoki and Rōshi retreated, and Hoshi reflected that his unexpected victory had spared him a drawn-out battle.

After Konoha defeated Ōnoki and Rōshi at the front, Hoshi and Sakumo chose not to pursue them, while the Third Raikage launched a surprise attack on Iwagakure. Ōnoki and Rōshi rushed back to defend the village.

• Hoshi helped the badly injured Jiraiya and Shinku up, and Konoha’s medical ninja treated them at the ruined camp.
• Sakumo arrived and heard Jiraiya recount how Hoshi had injured the Four-Tails and ambushed Ōnoki.
• Sakumo proposed attacking Ōnoki and Rōshi, but Hoshi warned that the risks and likely casualties were too great.
• Sakumo realized the Cloud Ninja might exploit Iwagakure’s leaders being away and set out to notify Danzo.
• Ōnoki learned that the Third Raikage had crossed the sea with three thousand Cloud Ninja and was attacking Iwagakure.
• Ōnoki rushed home, ordering Rōshi to gather a thousand ninja; Rōshi followed despite his weakened condition.

The Third Raikage led Kumogakure’s elite forces against Iwagakure’s main gate and used Hell Stab: One-Finger Nukite to break through its massive earth wall. The gate was breached, leaving the village exposed as the Raikage pierced an Iwagakure Anbu vice-captain.

• The Third Raikage ordered his three thousand Kumogakure elites to gather strength while he prepared his strongest spear.
• The Third Raikage activated Lightning Release Armor and began counting down as chakra gathered around his fingers.
• An Iwagakure elder ordered the defenders to attack, but their Earth Release attacks failed to harm the Third Raikage.
• The Kumogakure elites struck the Super Earth Flow Rampart together, weakening it before the Third Raikage charged through it with One-Finger Nukite.
• The earth wall collapsed, and the Third Raikage pierced the Anbu vice-captain through the heart as Iwagakure’s main gate fell.

Kumogakure’s surprise attack devastated Iwagakure before Ōnoki returned and drove the attackers away with Dust Release. Iwagakure began putting out fires and recalling its forces, while a guilt-stricken Rōshi joined the recovery effort.

• With Iwagakure’s leaders absent, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki failed to rally the village, and the Third Raikage led Kumogakure’s forces through the breached gates.
• Iwagakure’s ninja regrouped and fought back in the streets, but Kumogakure withdrew when the signal announced Ōnoki’s return.
• Ōnoki attacked Kumogakure’s retreating forces with Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu, killing nearly five hundred ninja, then let the survivors escape because he was exhausted.
• Rōshi returned to the burning village, blamed himself for the devastation, and fell to his knees in grief.
• Ōnoki ordered the fires extinguished, casualties gathered, shelter occupants checked, and Iwagakure’s front-line forces recalled; he rallied the remaining ninja to recover and eventually strike back.

After Iwagakure withdrew from the war, Madara, Hiruzen, Hoshi, and Danzo each considered what the news meant for their plans. Danzo, threatened by Hoshi’s growing strength, decided to activate Hiruko’s experiment.

• White Zetsu told Madara about the Land of Rain battlefield, and Madara praised Hoshi as a potential future opponent.
• Hiruzen celebrated Iwagakure’s withdrawal and considered yielding the Hokage position to the next generation.
• Hoshi let Iwagakure’s forces withdraw and hoped the war would soon end after Konoha drove back Sunagakure.
• Danzo feared Hoshi’s strength and influence, then ordered his subordinate to bring Hiruko back to the village and set the plan in motion.

After Iwagakure withdrew from the war, Sunagakure debated whether to keep fighting Konoha or retreat. The meeting ended with the elders backing Chiyo’s plan to fight for leverage in peace negotiations, while Bunpuku warned her not to let revenge deepen Sunagakure’s losses.

• Hoshi, Jiraiya, and Shinku received ministerial posts that gave them seats at Konoha’s High-Level Meetings, while Kagetsu and Minato were promoted to chunin.
• Rainy-season weather halted the fighting, leaving the Konoha forces on the Iwagakure front in camp on extended leave.
• Ryunosuke convened Sunagakure’s leaders to discuss the war after Iwagakure withdrew and left Sunagakure facing Konoha alone.
• Chiyo urged Sunagakure to keep fighting, while Rasa argued that the village should withdraw to preserve its strength and funds.
• Chiyo argued that Sunagakure needed to hurt Konoha to gain leverage for peace talks, and Bunpuku supported her plan while warning her not to let hatred guide her.

Hoshi and the others discussed Minato’s progress and Kagetsu’s potential before Kagetsu agreed to investigate her split personality. Hoshi and Shinku devised the Dream Weaving Technique to let them observe Dan Katō communicating with Inner Kagetsu in her mental world.

• Hoshi recognized that Minato had reached Jonin-level strength and offered to recommend him for promotion after he led a squad on missions.
• Hoshi noticed Kagetsu’s longing to become a Jonin and reassured her that her combat skills were nearly at that level.
• Hoshi told Kagetsu that Dan Katō could use the Spirit Transformation Technique to enter her mental world and speak with Inner Kagetsu, and she agreed to try it.
• Hoshi and Shinku developed the Dream Weaving Technique, combining Dan’s Spirit Transformation Technique, a Yamanaka communication technique, and Shinku’s Genjutsu: Dream Eater.

Hoshi began the Dream Weaving Technique with Dan and Kagetsu to help Kagetsu and her Inner Personality communicate. The chapter ended with Dan meeting Inner Kagetsu in the second floor of Kagetsu’s mental world.

• Dan arrived at the Iwagakure front after Danzo returned to the village, and Hoshi gathered a team to practice the Dream Weaving Technique.
• Dan used the Spirit Transformation Technique to enter Kagetsu’s mental world while a Yamanaka clansman and Shinku established the other connections.
• Dan found Kagetsu waiting in a richly furnished duplex and learned that she usually stayed on the first floor while the Inner Personality occupied the second.
• Hoshi advised Dan to ask the Inner Personality for permission to go upstairs, and she agreed to meet him first without Kagetsu.
• Dan entered the red-and-black second floor, where the Inner Personality introduced herself as Inner Kagetsu.

Inner Kagetsu explained that she had sealed away part of Kagetsu’s childhood memories to protect her, then showed Starry Night, Shinku, and Dan the memory. They witnessed Kagetsu’s mother abandon Hokushin and her daughter, leaving the story with young Kagetsu’s Sharingan beginning to awaken.

• Inner Kagetsu said she and Kagetsu were one person and that she had spent nearly ten years preparing to reunite with her.
• Inner Kagetsu revealed that she had sealed away memories Kagetsu could not accept and agreed to show them to Starry Night.
• Inner Kagetsu transformed the mental landscape into a Japanese-style home and revealed a sleeping young Kagetsu.
• Young Kagetsu followed the sound of an argument and saw her father, Uchiha Hokushin, arguing with her mother.
• Kagetsu’s mother told Hokushin she was leaving him and their daughter to live with an elder’s nephew, while a tomoe began forming in Kagetsu’s eyes.

Inner Kagetsu revealed how childhood abuse and resentment led her to tamper with her mother's kunai, after which her mother died on a mission and Kagetsu's guilt caused her to seal away the memory. Teacher Starry Night decided Kagetsu should learn the truth, and Dan passed on his final message as she returned.

• Kagetsu endured bullying and her mother's rejection while keeping her suffering from Beichen.
• After her mother slapped and disowned her, Inner Kagetsu emerged, vowing to answer harm with harm.
• Inner Kagetsu recalled secretly damaging her mother's kunai, and her mother died on a mission three days later.
• Unable to accept her guilt, Kagetsu split from Inner Kagetsu and sealed away the memory.
• Teacher Starry Night chose to let Kagetsu face the truth and sent her the message that Sword Control from the Heart was the true path of swordsmanship.
• Dan relayed the message to Kagetsu after she came up.

Kagetsu's sealed memories began to return after she found a worn kunai, and Inner Kagetsu lost the ability to control the mental landscape. Kagetsu remembered killing her mother and began to transform as a monster struggled to emerge from her.

• Kagetsu agreed to face the truth, but Inner Kagetsu warned her that it involved their mother's death.
• Kagetsu found a worn kunai, which triggered a painful memory and showed Inner Kagetsu that the sealed memories were awakening.
• Inner Kagetsu explained that Kagetsu's growing power was weakening her, leaving Kagetsu to face the memories alone.
• Kagetsu relived her childhood hardships and remembered killing her mother with her own hands.
• Kagetsu laughed and wept uncontrollably as a blue-faced, fanged monster began emerging from her phantom.