Chapter Summaries

Shimura Danzō’s puppet forces devastated Kumogakure before withdrawing under cover of a massive fire attack, leaving Danzō behind to face Raikage A. The chapter ended with the two clashing at extreme speed as Danzō used the Flying Thunder God Technique against the Raikage’s lightning armor.

• Raikage A recognized Shimura Danzō and ordered Kumogakure’s shinobi to abandon unnecessary fights and prioritize survival.
• Raikage A’s speech rallied the Kumogakure shinobi, who regrouped and fought their way toward shelter.
• White Zetsu Clones discussed the battle as the Human Puppets began running low on chakra.
• The Human Puppets unleashed a vast Fire Release attack to cover their retreat, then vanished from the battlefield.
• Raikage A confronted the remaining Shimura Danzō and taunted him for serving as a puppet.
• Danzō attacked with the Flying Thunder God Technique, and Raikage A pursued him in Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

Shimura Danzō’s engineered puppet fought Raikage A, revealing its Wood Release body and Mangekyō Sharingan before Killer B rescued the Raikage from its genjutsu. Obito Uchiha appeared to claim Shisui’s eye, but Black Zetsu warned that the battle was a trap.

• Raikage A struck Shimura Danzō with a Liger Bomb, but Danzō blocked the attack with a bandaged arm that revealed a Wood Release body.
• White Zetsu and Black Zetsu observed the fight, while Toru Kujyo judged Danzō a defective puppet and used the battle to draw out Kumogakure’s trump card.
• Danzō used the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique to blind Raikage A and approached to mark him with the Flying Thunder God Formula.
• Killer B pulled Raikage A away, severed the tentacle Danzō marked, and broke the genjutsu with his chakra.
• Obito Uchiha appeared and announced that he would take Shisui Uchiha’s eye, but Black Zetsu warned him that Danzō was a puppet and the fight was a trap.

Obito entered the devastated Kumogakure to recover Shisui’s eyes, but Raikage A blamed Akatsuki for the attack and a mysterious figure appeared as Deva Path Pain to declare the Fourth Shinobi World War. The figure, Toru Kujyo’s Wood Clone, prepared to unleash an overwhelming attack on the village.

• Obito dismissed Black Zetsu’s warnings and pursued Shisui’s eyes while Raikage A and Killer B confronted him and Danzo.
• Danzo’s Sharingan reverted to a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and Raikage A accused Akatsuki of destroying Kumogakure and abducting Killer B.
• Obito realized a mysterious third party had framed Akatsuki and used Danzo as part of a plan to redirect the village’s hatred.
• Toru Kujyo’s Wood Clone appeared as Deva Path Pain and declared that the Fourth Shinobi World War had begun.
• Black Zetsu discovered that the figure’s vast chakra concealed him from tracking, while Pain gathered a repulsive force aimed at Kumogakure.

Pain used Super Shinra Tensei to erase Kumogakure and the surrounding mountains, leaving a vast crater and a handful of survivors. As Darui organized rescue efforts and Fourth Raikage A silently faced the destruction, Obito and the Zetsu debated Pain’s power and intentions.

• Pain unleashed Super Shinra Tensei, destroying Kumogakure and the surrounding mountains while Obito’s Kamui saved Raikage A and Killer B from the blast.
• A wounded Kumogakure jonin emerged from the rubble, and more survivors crawled out, horrified to find their village gone.
• Darui took command, ordering sensor shinobi to search for survivors and Earth Release shinobi to clear rubble and recover the injured.
• A scout reported that Shelter Three in Zone B had survived, and Mabui led medical ninja out to join the rescue.
• Fourth Raikage A sat unharmed amid the devastation, silently staring at the crater with fury.
• Obito, Black Zetsu, and White Zetsu surveyed the destruction; Black Zetsu said Pain had held back, and Obito wondered whether Nagato could wield such power.

Obito and Black Zetsu discussed the mysterious enemy who wielded the Rinnegan and suspected he came from a lineage on the moon. Convinced Nagato needed enough power to face him, Obito resolved to transplant Hashirama cells into Nagato.

• Black Zetsu told Obito that Nagato had been stronger in his prime and suggested the mysterious enemy might belong to the moon lineage.
• Black Zetsu reasoned that the enemy was cautious because he could not use the Rinnegan’s unique ocular technique and feared facing Nagato directly.
• Obito decided to transplant Hashirama cells into Nagato despite Black Zetsu’s warning that Nagato might become difficult to control.
• Obito insisted Nagato needed to regain his strength to confront the enemy and advance the Eye of the Moon Plan.

Obito and Black Zetsu discussed the mysterious Lunar Lineage man's power and Nagato's vulnerability, then left to report what had happened. A wounded Kumogakure jonin emerged from the ruins and found the village and everyone he knew gone.

• Black Zetsu deduced that the mysterious man had transplanted Rinnegan and was avoiding Nagato because he feared facing him directly.
• Obito worried that the man might exploit Nagato's disability and steal his Rinnegan, but Black Zetsu suggested Hashirama cells and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path could restore Nagato.
• Obito decided Nagato would reject help for now and planned to let him experience the threat of the new order before offering him greater strength.
• Obito suppressed a brief feeling of regret over the destruction, opened Kamui, and left with Black and White Zetsu to tell Nagato what had happened.
• A badly wounded Kumogakure jonin crawled out from beneath the rubble and found an enormous crater where the village and its people had been.

After leaving the Hyuga Residence, Toru Kujyo counted the points he had gained from the destruction of Kumogakure and considered how to profit from future conflicts. News of Akatsuki’s attack spread across the shinobi world, while the Land of Lightning’s leaders panicked over the power that had destroyed Kumogakure.

• Toru Kujyo told Hanabi that he had stolen Flying Thunder God and warned her to keep it secret before leaving with Karin.
• Toru Kujyo checked his panel and saw that he had 287,500 points, largely gained from Sasori of the Red Sands’s attack on Kumogakure.
• Toru Kujyo considered seeking other conflicts to gain points and dismissed Kirigakure as too weakened to be worthwhile.
• Karin massaged Toru Kujyo in the hot spring, using her chakra control and knowledge from medical ninjutsu scrolls to ease his exhaustion.
• Intelligence reports named Sasori of the Red Sands and Deva Path Pain as threats, and Pain’s bounty was marked [Beyond measure].
• The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning panicked over the destruction of Kumogakure and dismissed the value of Wood Release compared with Shinra Tensei.

Pain told the Akatsuki that an impostor with the Rinnegan had attacked Konoha and destroyed Kumogakure to provoke a world war, then ordered the members to hide their identities while insisting they would stay in Amegakure. In Iwagakure, Ōnoki received confirmation that Kumogakure had become a crater, and Kurotsuchi suggested taking advantage of the village's destruction.

• Pain revealed that a mysterious Rinnegan wielder had used his name to attack Konoha and destroy Kumogakure, hoping to ignite the Fourth Shinobi World War.
• Pain ordered the Akatsuki to exercise greater caution and conceal their movements, but rejected relocating from Amegakure despite the threat of Kumogakure's retaliation.
• Deidara protested the impersonation, Kisame welcomed the challenge, and Kakuzu and Konan warned that Kumogakure could target Amegakure with a Tailed Beast Bomb.
• Pain declared that the Akatsuki would remain in Amegakure and claimed his Shinra Tensei could withstand Kumogakure's attack.
• Ōnoki received a report confirming that Kumogakure and the surrounding mountains had been reduced to a vast crater.
• Kurotsuchi told Ōnoki that Iwagakure could exploit Kumogakure's devastation.

After learning of Pain’s world-destroying power, the leaders of Iwagakure and Sunagakure prepared their villages’ defenses, while Tsunade discussed Konoha’s response with Toru Kujyo. Toru claimed the Four Red Yang Formation could easily stop Super Shinra Tensei, leaving Tsunade reassured but the threat unresolved.

• Ōnoki ordered Iwagakure to strengthen its defenses and told Kitsuchi to receive Kumogakure’s envoy without making commitments.
• Ebizo urged Sunagakure to seek Konoha’s barrier techniques, and Gaara agreed to set aside pride to protect his village.
• Tsunade raged over the destruction of a shinobi village while Toru Kujyo read the Scroll of Seals.
• Toru Kujyo called Super Shinra Tensei an enormous repulsive-force attack and said four dependable Jonin could use the Four Red Yang Formation to block it.
• Tsunade and Shizune were stunned by Toru Kujyo’s confidence, and Tsunade felt reassured.

Tsunade ordered Toru Kujyo to become a Jonin by the end of next year, and he threatened to expose her questionable expenses before leaving. Soon after, Kumogakure envoys Samui, Omoi, and Karui arrived in Konoha, and Tsunade began reading a personal letter from Raikage A.

• Tsunade assigned Toru Kujyo to become a Jonin by the end of next year and threatened to investigate his wealth if he failed.
• Toru threatened to report Tsunade's concealed betting payments to the Land of Fire's oversight department and left her office.
• A Konoha ninja reported that Samui, Omoi, and Karui had arrived as envoys from Kumogakure, claiming to be students of Lord B.
• Tsunade sent Karin to welcome the envoys, and Samui recognized Karin as a member of the Uzumaki Clan.
• Samui presented Raikage A's letter to Tsunade, who broke the seal and read it.

Tsunade accepted Raikage A’s call for a Five Kage Summit and ordered Konoha to prepare for further threats. Samui’s team then sought Toru Kujyo’s help rebuilding Kumogakure and arrived at his mansion to request his consent.

• Tsunade read Raikage A’s warning that Shimura Danzō and Root were tied to Nagato, and she agreed to attend the Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron.
• Tsunade ordered Konoha to its highest alert and assigned ANBU to guard the fallen ninja’s remains and the Hero Memorial Stone.
• Samui asked Tsunade to send Toru Kujyo to Kumogakure to help rebuild the village with Wood Release, but Tsunade said he had to choose the mission himself.
• Karin led Samui, Omoi, and Karui to Toru Kujyo’s residence, where they were surprised by his luxurious modern mansion.

Samui failed to persuade Toru Kujyo to help Kumogakure rebuild, learning that his refusal was tied to Hinata Hyuga and Kumogakure’s past actions against her clan. As Konoha entered the New Year after surviving a catastrophe, its leaders faced a storm still to come.

• Samui offered Toru Kujyo payment equal to three Super S-Rank Missions in exchange for using Wood Release to rebuild Kumogakure.
• Toru refused and revealed that his girlfriend was Hinata Hyuga.
• Samui recalled Kumogakure’s failed attempt to abduct Hinata and its role in Hizashi Hyuga’s death, then understood Toru’s refusal.
• Samui apologized and left Toru’s mansion, while Karin said Kumogakure deserved the rejection.
• Toru dismissed Kumogakure’s attempt to buy him off, and Konoha began Year 61 beneath snow as its leaders anticipated further turmoil.

Toru Kujyo joined Tsunade and Kakashi on their journey to the Five Kage Summit, where Tsunade revealed that Sasuke had awakened Wood Release using Toru's cells. As the summit began, Toru accused Kirigakure's Ao of stealing a Byakugan from the Hyuga Clan, throwing the gathering into a crisis.

• Tsunade, Kakashi, and Toru Kujyo traveled to the Land of Iron for the Five Kage Summit.
• Tsunade told Toru that Sasuke had awakened Wood Release using his cells and said Kakashi had declined an offer of the cells.
• Mifune welcomed the delegation and led them into the summit fortress, where the other Kage and their guards had assembled.
• Before Mifune could open the summit, Toru accused Ao of being the Byakugan Killer who had stolen an eye from the Hyuga Clan.
• Ao covered his eye patch as the accusation stunned the summit and Mei Terumi turned sharply toward Tsunade.

At the Five Kage Summit, Toru Kujyo exposed Ao’s Byakugan and Genji revealed that Mei Terumi had been killed by the Akatsuki and that they had controlled Yagura with genjutsu. Tsunade argued that Konoha was being wrongly blamed and disclosed Jiraiya’s intelligence about a second pair of Rinnegan, leaving the summit questioning whether the Pain who attacked Kumogakure was connected to Nagato.

• Raikage A, Ōnoki, and Ao confronted Toru Kujyo after he accused Ao of possessing a stolen Byakugan, and Ao saw Toru’s immense chakra through his eye.
• Genji announced that Mei Terumi had fallen in an Akatsuki attack and confirmed that Ao had taken his Byakugan from a Hyuga in battle.
• Genji revealed that the Akatsuki had controlled Yagura with genjutsu and turned him into a puppet tyrant, prompting Ao to identify the Sharingan as the likely source.
• Raikage A blamed Konoha for the Mizukage’s death and the Akatsuki’s actions, and Tsunade challenged him and revealed Jiraiya’s report of a second pair of Rinnegan.
• Tsunade contrasted Nagato’s Six Paths of Pain with the Pain who attacked Konoha and Kumogakure, and C confirmed that the latter’s puppets lacked Rinnegan eyes and black rods.

Tsunade presented Jiraiya’s theory that a mysterious Rinnegan wielder was framing the villages and manipulating them into war, but Raikage A accused Konoha of being behind the attacks. The Kage’s confrontation escalated when Ōnoki reminded A of Kumogakure’s role in the Second Hokage’s death, and someone called for them to stop.

• Chiyo declared that the puppets’ powerful Kekkei Tōta techniques could not have come from Sasori’s Puppet Technique and said someone was framing him.
• Tsunade told the Five Kage that a mysterious man with a second pair of Rinnegan was creating powerful puppets, attacking villages, and provoking a war while the Akatsuki hunted tailed beasts.
• Raikage A accused Konoha of orchestrating the attacks, citing Danzo, Wood Release, the Sharingan, and the Flying Thunder God Technique.
• Toru Kujyo pointed out that the Pain who attacked Konoha had used the Flying Thunder God Technique, prompting A to further accuse Konoha of hiding a powerful culprit.
• Ōnoki challenged A by recalling that Kumogakure’s Kinkaku and Ginkaku Unit had caused the Second Hokage’s death and stolen the Sage’s Relics.
• Raikage A and Ōnoki prepared to fight before someone shouted, “Enough!”

At the Five Kage Summit, the villages rejected Raikage A’s proposal to attack Amegakure, leaving Kumogakure to threaten action alone. After he stormed out, Granny Chiyo proposed a deeper military alliance between Sunagakure and Konoha.

• Mifune stopped Raikage A and Ōnoki from fighting and urged the summit to focus on the Akatsuki and the hidden enemy.
• Raikage A called for the Five Great Shinobi Villages to unite and attack Amegakure, but Ōnoki and Tsunade warned that the assault could be a trap and expose their villages to attack.
• Gaara and Granny Chiyo said Sunagakure could not spare forces, while Genji said Kirigakure would abstain because of its losses and instability.
• Raikage A condemned the other villages for refusing to fight and stormed out, vowing that Kumogakure would attack Amegakure alone.
• Granny Chiyo proposed that Sunagakure form a deeper military alliance with Konoha.

Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure offered Konoha major concessions in exchange for colossal defensive barriers, and Tsunade agreed to negotiate the deals. As the summit delegates departed, Toru Kujyo identified a White Zetsu Clone disguised as a samurai, exposing that the enemy was still surveilling them.

• Chiyo offered to place Sunagakure's forces under Konoha's command in future operations in exchange for a barrier capable of withstanding meteor-scale attacks.
• Ōnoki offered Iwagakure's command authority and thirty percent of its strategic minerals, while Genji offered Kirigakure's sea routes and ancient records for the same protection.
• Tsunade accepted the proposals in principle and called for envoys to attend formal negotiations in Konoha one week later.
• The summit delegates left the fortress to return to their villages and prepare for the dangers ahead.
• Toru Kujyo recognized a disguised White Zetsu Clone among the Land of Iron samurai, and the clone realized it had been discovered.

Nagato learned that the Five Great Nations still could not form a united alliance, while Toru Kujyo resolved to intensify the war for his own purposes. Back in Konoha, Toru photographed Hinata and challenged her to a sword spar.

• White Zetsu reported the Five Kage Summit's outcome to Nagato, who ordered continued surveillance of Toru Kujyo.
• On the road to Konoha, Toru concluded that the villages' suspicions could be exploited and decided the war needed to escalate.
• Toru photographed Hinata in a dress and during a sword dance at his new home.
• After praising Hinata's sword stance, Toru drew a sword and challenged her to spar.

Hinata sparred with Toru Kujyo and spent several days enjoying time with him, including a skiing trip that nearly triggered an avalanche. After they returned to Konoha, the ANBU summoned them to the Hokage Office, where they reunited with Kiba Inuzuka, Akamaru, and Shino Aburame.

• Hinata challenged Toru Kujyo to spar, but he easily countered her attacks and tore her dress at the shoulder while teasing her.
• Hinata and Toru Kujyo spent the next few days swimming, relaxing in a hot spring, and playing basketball together.
• Toru Kujyo took Hinata to the Land of Iron, where he taught her to ski and they started a snowball fight.
• Their play triggered an avalanche, which Toru Kujyo stopped by creating a dense forest with Wood Release.
• After returning to Konoha, Hinata and Toru Kujyo were summoned to the Hokage Office, where they found Tsunade, Kiba Inuzuka, Akamaru, and Shino Aburame.

Shino confronted Toru Kujyo and Hinata over Team 8’s lack of missions, prompting Tsunade to reveal that she had assigned them an S-Rank mission in the Land of Rain. Hinata received the Katsuyu summoning contract to relay her observations directly to Tsunade as Team 8 prepared to monitor the coming conflict between Kumogakure and the Akatsuki.

• Kiba noticed that Hinata and Toru smelled of snow and trees, while Shino observed that neither showed signs of recent ninja work.
• Shino criticized Toru for letting Team 8 grow complacent and announced that he had applied to join the ANBU after his Chunin promotion.
• Tsunade stopped the argument and assigned Team 8 an S-Rank mission to infiltrate the Land of Rain and report on Kumogakure’s planned attack on Amegakure and the Akatsuki.
• Tsunade summoned Katsuyu and told Hinata to sign a contract so she could relay her Byakugan observations directly to the Hokage.
• Hinata accepted the contract and completed the summoning agreement.