Chapter Summaries

Naruto learned that Big Yellow had been taken to the Inuzuka Clan grounds, where Yellow Maru began teaching his son to speak human language. Big Yellow struggled with the lesson as the other ninja dogs watched.

• Naruto noticed Big Yellow was missing, and Karin explained that Hana Inuzuka had taken him to visit his father.
• Naruto decided he might visit the Inuzuka Clan grounds later and continued showing Hinata, Hanabi, and Otohime their rooms.
• Yellow Maru brought Big Yellow back to teach him human language and strengthen the Inuzuka Clan's relationship with Naruto.
• Yellow Maru tested Big Yellow on the names of fruit, but Big Yellow answered in barks and failed to imitate human speech.
• Yellow Maru considered asking Tsume for help and leaving Hana to build a closer relationship with Naruto as the other ninja dogs watched.

Naruto visited Hana Inuzuka and explained why he was pursuing missions while the other major villages were weakened. Meanwhile, Tsunade brought medicinal herbs back to Naruto's house, where Uchiha Hikari woke to find something covering her face.

• Naruto visited Hana Inuzuka to check on Big Yellow and learned that Yellow Maru was teaching him human language.
• Naruto told Hana Inuzuka that he was taking missions himself to seize the other villages' moment of weakness and settle threats decisively.
• Tsunade obtained Deer Treasure from Yoshino on credit, taking a potent piece as a gift for Naruto.
• Tsunade and Shizune returned to Naruto's house with the herbs and went to bed after sharing wine.
• Uchiha Hikari woke in suffocating darkness with something soft and heavy covering her mouth and nose.

Tsunade accidentally entered Hikari’s room and was thrown off by Hikari’s Susanoo before mistakenly falling asleep in Naruto’s bed. Naruto returned from speaking with Hana Inuzuka, discovered Tsunade there, and woke her with a wooden ruler as she protested that she had only mistaken his room for a guest room.

• Hikari woke when Tsunade stumbled into her room and used her Susanoo ribs to knock Tsunade to the floor.
• Tsunade apologized for entering the wrong room, then found an empty bedroom nearby and fell asleep there.
• Naruto told Hana Inuzuka that he would go to Kirigakure the next day to check on Kiba, and Hana urged him not to push himself so hard.
• Naruto returned to his room, found Tsunade asleep in his bed, and struck her back with a wooden ruler to wake her.
• Tsunade realized she had entered Naruto’s room by mistake and argued that the similar rooms and his absence had confused her.

Naruto left Tsunade and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to reach the Konoha forces in Kirigakure. He found the village surrendered and attended by a tense victory banquet, where Shino confirmed Konoha had won a complete victory.

• Naruto sensed the Flying Thunder God Marks near Kirigakure and told Tsunade he was leaving to settle things there.
• Tsunade punched Naruto, but he caught her blow effortlessly before teleporting away.
• Naruto arrived at a banquet in Kirigakure and saw surrendered Kirigakure ninja performing for Konoha’s forces.
• Naruto sat beside Shino and asked how things were; Shino said Konoha had won a complete victory.

Naruto returned from Kirigakure after hearing Shino’s report of Sasuke’s victory and receiving the scroll containing Black Zetsu, whom he planned to use to reach Kaguya. Back in Konoha, he learned that Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura had proposed making Tsunade Acting Hokage, and he decided to let their political maneuvering continue for now.

• Shino told Naruto that Sasuke’s enhanced Susanoo had crushed Kirigakure’s resistance and handed him a scroll containing Black Zetsu.
• Naruto took charge of Black Zetsu, planned to use him to bring Kaguya down from the moon, and left Shino to oversee Kirigakure’s transition.
• Naruto used Flying Thunder God to return to the Hokage’s Office, where Uzuki Yugao and Tenzo reported on village affairs.
• Uzuki Yugao told Naruto that Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura had proposed appointing Tsunade Acting Hokage while Naruto was away.
• Tenzo reported that Tsunade knew nothing about the proposal and had dismissed the messengers to go drinking.
• Naruto chose not to intervene immediately and said he would settle accounts with Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura later.

Naruto tried to use Otohime’s Shinkōsanrei to consult his future self about mastering Kekkei Mōra, but an unknown temporal barrier blocked the attempt. He ended the night weighed down by uncertainty about the dangerous path ahead and the responsibilities of protecting Konoha.

• Naruto asked Otohime to use Shinkōsanrei to send him into the future, but every attempt hit an invisible barrier.
• Otohime suggested that a future version of herself or Naruto had blocked the dōjutsu to preserve the timeline, and urged him to rely on his own abilities.
• Naruto left after teasing Otohime about her figure, prompting her to angrily demand an explanation.
• Naruto sat alone in the courtyard and reflected on the risks of fusing seven chakra natures and the political threats facing Konoha.
• Naruto recognized that, for the first time, he felt uncertain about whether he could accomplish his goal.

Naruto struggled with the time and uncertainty involved in mastering kekkei mōra, then decided to use shadow clones to accelerate his experiments. He began repeatedly testing chakra-nature fusions in the Kamui Dimension, enduring the pain of each failure as his resolve hardened.

• Naruto reflected on how difficult it was to combine all seven chakra natures and realized he needed far more time to experiment.
• Naruto resolved to use vast numbers of shadow clones to conduct fusion experiments and share the risks of failure.
• Naruto entered the Kamui Dimension and created over a thousand shadow clones, which began trying to fuse different chakra natures.
• As the clones’ experiments failed and they dispersed, Naruto absorbed their pain and memories but continued despite the strain.
• Naruto created another batch of shadow clones and resumed the experiments, believing each failure taught him more about chakra natures.

Naruto returned from exhausting overnight training in the Kamui Dimension and tried to hide how badly it had drained him. After Tsunade left, he went to bed, while Hinata prepared to train Hanabi before making breakfast.

• Naruto collapsed into his courtyard after Kurama, the One-Tail, and the Four-Tails had interrupted his dangerous training session.
• Hinata saw Naruto's exhaustion and offered to make breakfast while he rested.
• Tsunade asked Naruto for spending money, and Naruto claimed he had traveled to Kirigakure to check on the front.
• Tsunade gave Naruto a warning to rest, then left with the money without pressing him about his condition.
• Naruto returned to his room and fell into a heavy sleep.
• Hinata decided to wake Hanabi for morning Gentle Fist practice before preparing breakfast.

Karin confirmed that Tsunade and Naruto had no special relationship, while Hikari and the others wondered why Naruto was absent from breakfast. Naruto slept upstairs to recover from his intense training, and Hiashi worried about when he and the others would return.

• Karin secretly listened to Tsunade speak with Naruto, then admitted she longed to fall asleep holding Naruto's hand again.
• Hinata woke Hanabi for morning training while Karin returned to bed with her feelings for Naruto.
• Hikari joined Hinata, Hanabi, and Karin for breakfast and asked where Naruto was.
• Hinata explained that Naruto had gone to Kirigakure after the battle and returned late, so he was resting.
• Hanabi said Otohime had stayed in her room to play a game instead of eating breakfast.
• Naruto slept upstairs recovering from his training, while Hiashi wondered when Naruto and the others would return.

Naruto faced Hiashi and Inoichi’s disapproval after being seen with their daughters, then used Hamura Otsutsuki’s chakra to secure Hiashi’s acceptance of him as a son-in-law. He gave Hiashi the chakra to help the Hyuga Clan pursue the Tenseigan and urged him to test it carefully and seek a sustainable method.

• Hiashi confronted Naruto after seeing him with Hinata, Hanabi, Ino, and Sakura, while Inoichi also worried about Ino’s closeness to Naruto.
• Ino told her father that Naruto had replenished her chakra and that she felt fine, prompting Inoichi to sympathize with Hiashi’s concerns.
• Naruto showed Hiashi a gourd containing chakra left by Hamura Otsutsuki and said it could help the Hyuga awaken the Tenseigan.
• Hiashi called Naruto his dear son-in-law, and Naruto let him take the gourd.
• Naruto advised Hiashi to test a small amount of chakra first and later have Orochimaru research a sustainable way to evolve the Byakugan.

After leaving the Hokage Building with Hinata, Hanabi, Ino, and Sakura, Naruto accepted Ino’s invitation to see her flowers and Sakura’s offer to study medical ninjutsu together. He planned to bring everyone, while keeping his main goal of mastering kekkei mōra in mind.

• Naruto explained that the Hyuga Clan’s ancient texts mentioned the Tenseigan and that Hiashi had let him read them because he was the Sixth Hokage.
• Hanabi teased Naruto that Hiashi trusted him more than his own daughters, and Naruto explained the difference between his personal access and his authority as Hokage.
• Ino invited Naruto to see the flowers she had planted, and Sakura asked him to study medical ninjutsu and chakra control with her.
• Naruto decided to bring Hinata and the others to see Ino’s flowers and study Sakura’s material together, and Ino and Sakura happily agreed.
• Naruto resolved to pursue kekkei mōra through Shadow Clone experimentation and bloodline powers while enjoying the time he spent with the girls.

Kakuzu returned to Konoha with Kisame, Zabuza, and Haku, and Naruto assigned them to bring the remaining small nations and villages under Konoha’s protection. After dismissing them, Naruto struggled with the pain from his clones’ failed training and summoned someone over a neglected report.

• Kakuzu joined Kisame’s group and returned to Konoha, where he received a preliminary placement.
• Naruto met Kakuzu, Kisame, Zabuza, and Haku in the Hokage’s Office and tasked them and Deidara with leading teams to bring independent small nations and villages into Konoha’s new order.
• Kakuzu volunteered to handle Takigakure, and Naruto approved the assignment while ordering him to capture the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki, Fū, alive.
• Naruto told Zabuza and Haku that Kirigakure might need them again and reserved the Land of Snow and the Land of Demons for himself.
• After the group left, Naruto felt pain from his clones’ failed Kekkei Mōra experiments, threw aside a report, and ordered the ANBU to bring someone to him.

Hagoromo grew wary of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki and the unknown force that had taken Yūji from the Pure Land, so he created a powerful game-like tool to confront threats across the living and dead realms. He prepared to use it against Isshiki—and potentially Naruto—if either became an uncontrollable danger.

• Hagoromo worried that Ōtsutsuki Isshiki had evaded his notice for a thousand years and reassessed him as a major threat.
• Hagoromo searched the Pure Land for Yūji but found no trace of him, and discovered that Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju had lost their memories of the boy.
• Hagoromo recalled that an unknown force had blocked his perception and removed Yūji, deepening his suspicions about the Pure Land's hidden mysteries.
• Hagoromo created the Six Paths Life-and-Death Shogi, a special battlefield where living and dead beings could serve as pieces under its rules.
• Hagoromo planned to use the shogi against Isshiki and considered using it against Naruto if the young Hokage threatened the world's balance.

Naruto welcomed Nagato and Konan to dinner at his home, where Nagato asked to discuss the shinobi world Naruto had unified under Konoha. Nagato warned that peace secured through military conquest would be fragile as people continued to resist.

• Naruto returned home and found Karin, Uchiha Hikari, and dinner waiting, while Hinata and Hanabi were visiting the Hyuga Clan.
• Konan and Nagato arrived without Miwakan, whom Tayuya had picked up for his mother, Orochimaru.
• Naruto invited Konan and Nagato to join the meal and asked what they wanted to discuss.
• Nagato told Naruto that unifying the Five Great Nations through military force would not ensure lasting peace because people would fight to reclaim their homelands.

Naruto explained how he planned to sustain peace after unifying the Shinobi World through infrastructure, jobs, public services, and economic reforms. Nagato challenged him to explain how that plan could help the impoverished Land of Rain, and Naruto appeared ready to answer.

• Nagato asked Naruto how he would maintain lasting peace beyond military force and personal authority.
• Naruto outlined plans for infrastructure investment, worker protections, tax reforms, state-led industries, and expanded public services.
• Naruto argued that peace needed to improve ordinary people's lives and create hope for the future.
• Nagato described the Land of Rain's harsh climate, scarce resources, war damage, and weak economy, then asked how Naruto would address its people's survival needs.
• Naruto showed no surprise at Nagato's challenge and appeared prepared to respond.

Naruto outlined a development plan for the Land of Rain, and Nagato pressed him on how it could be carried out. After a long discussion, Nagato arranged to speak with Naruto alone as Konan, Karin, and Hikari left the dining room.

• Naruto proposed adapting agriculture to the Land of Rain's climate, rebuilding its workforce, investing in infrastructure, developing new industries, and using aid to build self-sufficiency.
• Nagato and Konan considered Naruto's constructive alternative to Nagato's former belief that peace required making the world experience equal pain.
• Nagato questioned Naruto about implementation, corruption, and reconciling local wishes with outside plans, and they discussed challenges facing the Land of Rain and a unified Shinobi World.
• Naruto recognized that detailed plans would require expertise from Shikaku Nara, Shikamaru, and Konoha's administrative staff.
• Nagato signaled Konan to leave, then Naruto asked Hikari and Karin to leave so he could speak with Nagato privately.

Nagato asked Naruto to bring Yahiko back so his friend could witness the coming peace and help Konan move on, but Naruto explained that retrieving Yahiko’s soul from the Pure Land was almost impossible. Naruto privately considered postponing Yahiko’s revival until after confronting the Sage of Six Paths, when it might be easier and Nagato could be useful as an ally.

• Nagato asked Naruto to revive Yahiko, hoping he could witness peace and give Konan closure.
• Naruto proposed that Orochimaru might create a suitable body from Yahiko’s tissue, but said they had no reliable way to summon Yahiko’s soul from the Pure Land.
• Naruto explained that the Sage of Six Paths controlled the passage of souls, making Yahiko’s revival nearly impossible under current conditions.
• Nagato accepted Naruto’s explanation with grief as his hope of seeing Yahiko again faded.
• Naruto privately decided that Yahiko’s revival could wait until after they dealt with the Sage of Six Paths, and considered recruiting Nagato as a powerful ally.

After Nagato and Konan left, Naruto spent a quiet moonlit evening on the roof with Karin, Hikari, and Otohime. On their walk home, Konan told Nagato he was all she had, and Nagato silently took her hand.

• Naruto watched Nagato and Konan leave, then invited Karin and Hikari onto the roof to watch the full moon.
• Otohime emerged from the shadows, upset that she had not been called to dinner, and Naruto invited her to join them with snacks.
• Karin went to fetch Three-Color Dango and tea while Hikari and Otohime sat with Naruto on the rooftop.
• As Nagato and Konan walked back to their lodging, Konan stopped and gripped Nagato's arm.
• Konan told Nagato to stay alive and take care of himself because he was all she had.
• Nagato covered Konan's hand with his own and held it firmly without making a promise.

Naruto’s Shadow Clones continued trying to fuse chakra natures in the Kamui Dimension, but one clone discovered a new application of Yang Release. He demonstrated Yang Release: Healing Creation, which regenerated a White Zetsu’s severed hand, and prepared to send the technique’s details back to Naruto.

• Thousands of Naruto’s Shadow Clones experimented with chakra fusion in the Kamui Dimension, suffering repeated failures.
• A Shadow Clone announced that he had developed a new Yang Release application based on growing new tissue rather than strengthening existing tissue.
• The manager Shadow Clone supplied a White Zetsu, and the inventor cut off its hand to test his technique.
• The clone used concentrated Jade Green chakra to regenerate the White Zetsu’s hand, restoring its tissues and fingerprints within seconds.
• The Shadow Clone named the technique Yang Release: Healing Creation and committed its principles and chakra circulation to memory for Naruto.

Nagato went to Orochimaru’s laboratory to undergo a Hashirama cell transplant, hoping to live longer so he could protect Konan, whom he considered family. The surgery was about to begin.

• Nagato entered Orochimaru’s operating room despite his worsening condition and lay on the operating table.
• Orochimaru asked why Nagato had changed his mind about receiving Hashirama cells after previously refusing them.
• Nagato said he wanted to live longer because he had someone he wanted to protect.
• Nagato clarified that his bond with Konan was familial, rooted in their shared past and their loss of Yahiko.
• Orochimaru prepared the purified Hashirama cells, and Nagato closed his eyes as the surgery began.