Arc 12The Iwagakure Exchange
After Hiruzen Sarutobi’s death, Tsunade prepared Konoha for a possible war with Kumogakure while building ties with Iwagakure and Sunagakure. She arranged for Luo Mang to travel to Iwagakure as an exchange student, leaving him to consider how Hinata Hyuga would react.
- Luo Mang returned to Konoha with Hinata Hyuga, while Jiraiya and other Diary holders learned of Hiruzen Sarutobi’s death and the deaths of the Fourth Raikage and Killer B.
- Tsunade took charge after Hiruzen’s funeral, exposed a Cloud Shadow Village agent urging immediate war, and told Konoha’s Jonin she would seek justice with allies and careful preparation.
- Ōnoki revealed that Iwagakure’s Jinchūriki had disappeared and sought an alliance with Konoha, bringing Kurotsuchi to the village as part of his delegation.
- Kurotsuchi repeatedly pursued Luo Mang, while Ōnoki and Tsunade discussed an alliance and an exchange program between their villages.
- Tsunade told Ōnoki that the Fourth Raikage and Killer B were dead, and Ōnoki agreed to return to discuss their plans and proposed an exchange program that could include Sunagakure.
- Temari agreed to lead Sunagakure’s exchange students to Iwagakure after seeing villagers work to restore their damaged home.
- Tsunade ordered Luo Mang to go alone to Iwagakure as an exchange student, and Kakashi Hatake told him he would leave in six days despite Sakura Haruno and others asking to join.