Chapter Summaries

Hiruzen Sarutobi fought Shimura Danzō and Kagami Uchiha amid the ruins, confronting Danzō with the envy and hunger for power behind his claim to serve Konoha. Danzō flew into a rage and attacked Hiruzen with renewed force as the battle entered a more brutal phase.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi defended against Shimura Danzō and Kagami Uchiha while lamenting how Danzō’s forbidden modifications had made him grotesque.
• Hiruzen recalled how Tobirama Senju had chosen him as the Third Hokage after he volunteered to stay behind, while Danzō had hesitated.
• Shimura Danzō insisted he had wanted to volunteer too and blamed Hiruzen for taking the Hokage position he believed should have been his.
• Hiruzen told Danzō that he had volunteered to protect Konoha, while Danzō regretted losing power rather than failing to shoulder responsibility.
• Shimura Danzō erupted in rage, unleashed a surge of chakra, and lunged at Hiruzen as Kagami Uchiha kept his sword aimed at the Third.

Hyuga Hiashi encountered his dead younger brother, Hizashi Hyuga, in the Pure Land and struggled to speak through his overwhelming guilt and longing. Hizashi confirmed his identity, but addressed Hiashi formally as the head of the family.

• Hyuga Hiashi finished repelling a force of Pure Land samurai and ninja on a bone-white plain.
• Hiashi turned toward a strange breeze and saw Hizashi Hyuga standing atop a pillar of bone.
• Hiashi remembered how Neji had been freed from the Caged Bird Seal, become the Young Clan Leader, and awakened the Tenseigan, and how Hinata and Hanabi had grown up.
• Hiashi silently wept as he remembered his regret over Hizashi's death and tried to find words for their reunion.
• Hiashi asked whether the man was really Hizashi, and Hizashi confirmed it before formally addressing him as the head of the family.

Neji reunited with his father, Hizashi, and uncle Hiashi on the battlefield, then confronted the resurrected Hyuga elders who had oppressed his family. The Second Elder’s attempt to scold Neji backfired when he realized he had asked Hizashi how he had raised his son, leaving him speechless with embarrassment.

• Neji found Hiashi and saw Hizashi standing atop a pillar of bone.
• Neji and Hizashi recognized each other and called out as father and son for the first time in ten years.
• Six dead Hyuga elders appeared, and the Second Elder greeted Hiashi with open hostility.
• Neji shielded Hiashi and told the elders that he and Hiashi had killed the First and Third through Sixth Elders.
• Hizashi learned that Hiashi and Neji had purged the clan elders and reacted with pride and relief.
• The Second Elder demanded to know how Neji’s father had raised him, then realized Hizashi was Neji’s father and fell silent in embarrassment.

Naruto Uzumaki turned his Go match with the Sage of Six Paths into five-in-a-row and wore a Wood Release helmet in case the Sage retaliated. Their game continued while the distant battles raged, and Uchiha Tajima taunted Sasuke Uchiha after forcing him back.

• Naruto Uzumaki watched the Hyuga battle and mocked the Hyuga Second Elder for acting arrogantly even after death.
• The Sage of Six Paths agreed that the Hyuga Second Elder had brought Neji Hyuga's attack on himself.
• The Sage of Six Paths asked why Naruto Uzumaki was wearing a wooden helmet, and Naruto explained that he did not know Go and wanted protection if the Sage smashed the board over his head.
• The Sage of Six Paths gave up trying to make Naruto follow game etiquette, while Naruto privately complained that the Sage had chosen a game he could not play.
• Uchiha Tajima forced Sasuke Uchiha back again and challenged him to use Susanoo.

Sasuke fought Uchiha Tajima in a ruined training arena, first relying on his twin swords before using Takemikazuchi to boost his speed and power. Tajima admired Sasuke’s talent and, after being forced onto the defensive, prepared to fight seriously with his Gunbai.

• Sasuke dispelled his Perfect Susanoo and clashed with Uchiha Tajima using the Kusanagi Sword and a Lightning Sword.
• Tajima parried Sasuke’s attacks with masterful swordsmanship and told him his fundamentals were not solid enough.
• Sasuke activated Takemikazuchi and used its lightning to enhance his body.
• Sasuke’s faster attacks scorched Tajima’s ribs with Amaterasu and nearly knocked the katana from his hand.
• Tajima shed his damaged armor, praised Sasuke’s abilities, and changed his weapon to the Gunbai as he prepared to fight seriously.

Uchiha Tajima used the Gunbai to test Sasuke Uchiha in battle, subtly teaching him to refine his combat fundamentals. Sasuke adapted to Tajima’s guidance and ultimately killed him, leaving Tajima pleased with the young Uchiha’s potential.

• Uchiha Tajima took up the Gunbai and revealed the graceful, precise fighting style that had made him a feared clan head.
• Tajima deflected Sasuke Uchiha’s attacks while exposing flaws in Sasuke’s timing, balance, and transitions between techniques.
• Sasuke recognized that Tajima was guiding him and began adjusting his movements instead of relying on sheer force.
• As Sasuke’s attacks grew more fluid, he drove his sword into Tajima’s chest and defeated him.
• Tajima praised Sasuke as a genius worthy of the Uchiha Clan and felt glad that Sasuke was still young.

Hashirama and Madara fought at full power in a devastated wasteland, but paused to discuss Naruto’s strength and hopes for peace. Hashirama’s faith in Naruto’s path enraged Madara, who confronted him about refusing their old plan to unite the Shinobi World by force.

• Hashirama summoned Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands, and Madara reinforced his Perfect Susanoo with Wood Release: Heavenly Armor.
• Madara said the current era’s ninja were weaker than those of the Warring States Period, but praised Naruto Uzumaki as a powerful successor worthy of being Hokage.
• Hashirama declared that Naruto would end turmoil in the Shinobi World and lead it to true peace.
• Madara’s anger flared as he asked Hashirama why he had not agreed to unite the Shinobi World by force when Madara had proposed it before.

Madara accused Hashirama of excluding him from the first Five Kage Summit and rejecting his plan to unite the Shinobi World by force. Their argument gave way to an all-out clash between Madara’s wood-armored Susanoo and Hashirama’s True Several Thousand Hands, leaving their final battle raging across the devastated Pure Land.

• Madara accused Hashirama of shutting him out of the summit and refusing to pursue peace through military conquest.
• Hashirama remained silent, reaffirming his unchanged stance as the two prepared to fight in earnest.
• Madara sent ten wood dragons and a crossing sword strike against Hashirama’s Wood Buddha.
• Hashirama countered with hundreds of wooden hands and dragon heads, revealing he had secretly prepared his ultimate technique.
• The fighters unleashed their full power under the shogi rules, tearing open the Pure Land sky and carving a vast crater into the battlefield.

Asura fought Kaguya in the Pure Land while Naruto and Hagoromo played Go. Hagoromo restored the chakra and consciousness Asura had left in Naruto, empowering Asura to face Kaguya more seriously.

• Asura battled Kaguya with powerful attacks and defensive techniques, but her abilities kept him under pressure.
• Asura praised Kaguya's strength and acknowledged that neither of them was fighting at full power.
• Hagoromo sensed the situation while playing Go with Naruto and tossed a white stone toward Asura's battlefield.
• The white stone removed Asura's chakra and consciousness from Naruto and returned them to Asura, leaving Naruto feeling the connection break.
• Asura's power surged beyond his former peak, and he told Kaguya he would fight more seriously.

Naruto and the Sage of Six Paths encountered the Land of Snow film director, whose soul had wandered into the Life-and-Death Shogi and was filming the distant battles. After learning the Sage had protected him, Naruto returned to the game with renewed resolve.

• The director shouted excitedly as he filmed Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha battling in the distance.
• Naruto recognized the director from the Land of Snow mission and wondered how an ordinary man had entered the Shogi's domain.
• The Sage of Six Paths explained that the director had died and his soul had accidentally resonated with the Shogi's rules, making him an unexpected observer.
• The Sage revealed that he had shielded the director from the battles' shock waves.
• Naruto reflected on the director's devotion to filmmaking, then turned back to the board and clenched his fists with firmer resolve.

Indra switched places with Asura to face Kaguya, while Asura confronted Taichi, Orochimaru’s artificial human created from Naruto and Uchiha Hikari’s cells. As Naruto learned Taichi’s name and Orochimaru watched the battle from another front, the Sage of Six Paths was left unsettled by Naruto’s smile.

• Indra grabbed Asura and switched positions with him as Uchiha Hikari and a blond, crimson-eyed young man pursued them.
• Asura used Wood Release to block the newcomers, and the young man countered with Wood Release of his own.
• Indra took Asura’s place facing Kaguya, while Asura recognized the young man as Taichi, one of Orochimaru’s experiments.
• Orochimaru observed Taichi’s battle while fighting the First Kage alongside Jiraiya and Tsunade on another battlefield.
• Naruto learned Taichi’s name and smiled, leaving the Sage of Six Paths puzzled and uneasy.

Hatake Sakumo rescued a Konoha chunin who had once condemned him for abandoning a mission to save that same man, stirring painful memories of betrayal and the collapse of his faith in the Will of Fire. He pushed those feelings aside to search for the Third Kazekage, while the chunin watched him in silence.

• Hatake Sakumo saved a Konoha chunin from enemy attackers and recognized him as the comrade who had blamed him for choosing rescue over a mission.
• Sakumo recalled how rumors, his comrade’s accusation, and the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi’s silence had destroyed his reputation and shaken his faith in the Will of Fire.
• Sakumo warned the chunin not to get distracted on the battlefield, repeating advice he had once taught him.
• Sakumo searched the canyon for the hidden Third Kazekage, who used Magnet Release: Iron Sand and the terrain to avoid close combat and prepare a surprise attack.
• Sakumo steadied himself and raised his blade to hunt the Third Kazekage as the chunin watched, burdened by guilt and remorse.

Sasori confronted Hatake Sakumo in the canyon and summoned a human puppet made from the Third Kazekage, then challenged Sakumo over the killing of his parents. Sakumo accepted the duel despite the ongoing battle around them.

• Sasori appeared behind Sakumo and revealed that he still wanted to fight him.
• Sasori released a human puppet made from the Third Kazekage's body, which retained its kekkei genkai.
• Sakumo refused to fight at first, saying they should focus on the enemy forces and support their comrades.
• Sasori told Sakumo that he had killed Sasori's parents and named this as his reason for challenging him.
• Sakumo accepted Sasori's challenge, and both formally asked the other for instruction.
• The chapter revealed that Sasori had already defeated the Third Kazekage by countering his iron sand.

Hatake Sakumo faced Sasori of the Red Sands and used his knowledge of Sasori’s human-puppet body to plan a precise, nonlethal strike. Sasori launched a tailored storm of iron sand and poisoned weapons, but Sakumo fought through it, leaving their battle poised to escalate.

• Hatake Sakumo reviewed intelligence that Sasori’s Core of Regeneration in his chest was his true body and resolved to incapacitate him rather than kill a fellow Konoha ninja.
• Sasori revealed that he had studied Sakumo’s battles and habits, then attacked with Iron Sand Drizzle and concealed poisoned weapons designed to limit Sakumo’s movements.
• Sakumo charged into the metal and poison storm, weaving through its gaps and deflecting the attacks with his chakra-coated blade.
• Sakumo survived Sasori’s first counter to his intelligence, but recognized that Sasori’s more dangerous preparations were still ahead.

Hatake Sakumo defeated Sasori by seeing through his decoy body and capturing his true Core of Regeneration. With Sasori’s puppets disabled, Sakumo survived the battle and put away the core.

• Sakumo severed the Third Kazekage Puppet’s chakra threads and struck off Sasori’s head with Crescent Moon.
• Sasori revealed that his real body was inside the Third Kazekage Puppet and trapped Sakumo with chains and iron sand.
• Sakumo explained that the displayed Core of Regeneration was a decoy and revealed that his Lightning Clone had hidden underground.
• Sakumo’s Lightning Clone retrieved Sasori’s true Core of Regeneration from the severed head.
• The Lightning Clone cut off the core’s chakra supply, causing Sasori’s puppets to collapse and freeing Sakumo.
• Sakumo took the true core and said he would not risk dying before becoming a grandfather.

Hanzō struggled against Konan while Nagato attacked Obito, who was unable to use Kamui safely. Obito realized Nagato had joined Naruto’s side and accused him of betraying their alliance and the Eye of the Moon Plan.

• Hanzō found Konan’s Paper Release powerful enough to challenge his poisonous mist, Water Release, and Chain Scythe.
• Nagato unleashed Asura Path cannon blasts against Obito, who dodged rather than risk using Kamui.
• Nagato launched tracking Chakra Missiles with Strange Arm Rocket, forcing Obito to rely on movement and terrain to escape.
• Obito realized Nagato had survived and joined Naruto’s camp, then accused him of betraying their dream and their alliance.

Nagato overwhelmed Obito, who could not risk using Kamui and struggled to find a way out. After rejecting Obito’s claim of betrayal and repelling his final attack with Shinra Tensei, Nagato prepared to finish the fight.

• Obito recognized that Nagato was holding back and that, without Kamui, he was badly outmatched.
• Obito considered several escape plans but found none viable as Nagato’s attacks continued to trap him.
• Nagato told Obito that they had merely used each other, rejecting the idea that their relationship had been built on shared ideals.
• Enraged, Obito charged Nagato with Fire Release: Blast Wave Wild Dance, but Nagato swept the firestorm aside with Shinra Tensei.
• Nagato’s repulsion hurled Obito into a rock wall, and Nagato declared that it was time to end the game as his cannons charged another attack.

Hanzō used chakra-infused cursed rain to weaken Konan’s Paper Release, but Nagato seized control of the rain and turned it against him. With her strength restored, Konan launched a renewed attack while Nagato returned his attention to Obito.

• Hanzō identified that chakra-infused water weakened Konan’s paper and summoned torrential Cursed Rain to suppress her.
• The rain disrupted Konan’s paper and chakra, and Hanzō prepared to finish her off.
• Nagato formed two additional arms and overwrote Hanzō’s control of the rain with his Rain Tiger at Will Technique.
• Nagato dismissed Hanzō and turned back to Obito, while Konan’s pressure eased and her chakra recovered.
• Konan sent a storm of paper surging toward Hanzō as he reeled from losing control of his technique.

Might Guy remembered Naruto’s determination to become Hokage and resolved to protect him and their comrades by unleashing the Eight Gates. Guy and Might Duy opened the Gate of Death together, their crimson chakra blazing across the Life-and-Death Shogi battlefield.

• Might Guy and Might Duy defeated a wave of attackers while Guy watched their comrades struggle across the battlefield.
• Might Duy praised Guy, prompting Guy to remember Naruto’s childhood promise to follow his dream and protect the people he cherished.
• Might Guy wept with pride over Naruto becoming Hokage, then vowed to fight so he could open a path for his student.
• Might Duy reminded Guy that the Eight Gates Released Formation was meant to protect the people most important to them.
• Might Guy and Might Duy opened the Gate of Death, unleashing immense crimson chakra across the battlefield.

Might Guy and Duy unleashed the Eighth Gate’s power, devastating the Pure Land Ninja and breaking Madara Uchiha’s Susanoo before Guy sent him crashing into a mountainside. Madara acknowledged Guy as the strongest in taijutsu, while Guy rushed toward Asura’s battle with Uchiha Hikari.

• Guy and Duy used Evening Elephant: Fifth Step to crush the Pure Land Ninja in their path.
• Asuma Sarutobi and Kakashi Hatake witnessed their power as Guy used Daytime Tiger to destroy Madara Uchiha’s Wood Dragon.
• Guy punched through Madara’s Wood-Armor Susanoo and broke his chakra Gunbai with a kick, sending Madara crashing into a mountainside.
• Guy continued toward Asura, who was fighting Uchiha Hikari, without stopping to check on Madara.
• Madara recovered and declared that he acknowledged Guy as the strongest in taijutsu.