Chapter Summaries

Jiraiya arrived in time to help Meihui and Naruto confront Itachi and Kisame, but the pair escaped after Itachi used Amaterasu. Meihui continued toward Tsunade with Naruto and Jiraiya, while Itachi and Kisame rested in the rain.

• Jiraiya arrived and used Toad mouth bind to trap Itachi and Kisame, but Itachi burned through the wall with Amaterasu and escaped with Kisame.
• Meihui stopped Naruto from touching the black flames, and Jiraiya sealed them in a scroll.
• Naruto checked Sasuke and found him unconscious but alive.
• Might Guy arrived, explained that Itachi and Kisame had defeated Kakashi, and took Sasuke back to the village at Meihui's request.
• Meihui, Naruto, and Jiraiya resumed their journey to find Tsunade.
• Itachi told Kisame that his Mangekyō Sharingan's side effects and Jiraiya's strength had made retreat necessary, then rested as Kisame sheltered him from the rain.

Jiraiya taught Meihui and Naruto about Senjutsu while searching for Tsunade, but Orochimaru reached her first and offered to revive her loved ones. After Jiraiya learned where Tsunade was, he set out with the brothers to find her.

• Jiraiya tried to teach Meihui and Naruto the Rasengan, only to discover they had already mastered it, and then explained the basics of Senjutsu.
• Orochimaru found Tsunade and asked her to treat injuries he had sustained killing the Third Hokage.
• Tsunade refused, and Orochimaru offered his forbidden jutsu as a way to bring back her brother and the man she loved.
• Jiraiya got Tsunade's location from a man who had won money from her and took Meihui and Naruto to find her.
• Jiraiya showed Meihui and Naruto Tsunade's photograph as they traveled to her location.

Orochimaru failed to convince Tsunade to treat him, while Jiraiya found her and asked her to become the Fifth Hokage. After Tsunade fought Naruto, Meihui stopped her punch with the Flying Thunder God and left her intrigued.

• Kabuto Yakushi attacked Tsunade when Orochimaru offered to resurrect her lover, but she dodged, and Orochimaru left with Kabuto.
• Jiraiya found Tsunade and asked her to become the Fifth Hokage, but she refused and insulted Naruto.
• Naruto challenged Tsunade, who easily beat him despite his Shadow Clones and Rasengan.
• Naruto used Wind Release: Gale Palm to rush Tsunade, but her punch split the ground and threw him off balance.
• Meihui appeared with the Flying Thunder God, caught Tsunade's fist, and left with Naruto.
• Tsunade recognized Meihui's technique and asked Jiraiya about it, then smiled with interest in Meihui.

Tsunade got Jiraiya drunk and poisoned him before leaving to meet Orochimaru about a jutsu that could restore someone. Jiraiya and the others caught up with her, and he warned her that the jutsu tampered with souls.

• Tsunade kept drinking with Jiraiya until he passed out, then told Naruto and Meihui to help settle him in.
• Jiraiya woke up the next morning unable to move and realized Tsunade had poisoned his drink.
• Shizune told Jiraiya that Tsunade had gone to find Orochimaru, and she could only partly neutralize the poison.
• Tsunade asked Orochimaru whether his jutsu could do what she wanted, while Orochimaru tried to persuade her to trust him.
• Jiraiya arrived and warned Tsunade that Orochimaru's jutsu tampered with souls, prompting Orochimaru to leap away from him.

Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi fought Tsunade and Jiraiya after negotiations failed. Naruto and Meihui arrived, and Meihui struck Kabuto Yakushi before he could continue the fight.

• Tsunade attacked Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi, and the battle moved to an open area as Jiraiya caught up.
• Tsunade's punch disrupted Kabuto Yakushi's control of his body, and he stabbed himself with a kunai to trigger Tsunade's fear of blood.
• Kabuto Yakushi used a Chakra Scalpel to injure Tsunade, and Jiraiya moved to shield her.
• Naruto and Meihui arrived and confronted Kabuto Yakushi, but Meihui charged in and drove him deep into the ground with two punches.

After Naruto and Meihui encouraged Tsunade to overcome her fear of blood, she joined the fight against Orochimaru. The battle left Orochimaru battered, and he ordered Kabuto to summon Manda.

• Meihui warned Kabuto Yakushi to stay out of the fight, and Kabuto pretended to remain unconscious.
• Naruto encouraged Tsunade to face her fear of blood, and Meihui added that Nawaki and Dan would want her to be strong.
• Tsunade released the Strength of a Hundred Seal, healed her injuries, and attacked Orochimaru.
• Tsunade grabbed Orochimaru by the tongue and swung him around before tossing him aside.
• Orochimaru exposed Kabuto Yakushi's act and told him to prepare to summon Manda.

Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade fought with their summoned beasts, but Manda was defeated and Orochimaru escaped with Kabuto Yakushi. Tsunade overcame her fear of blood and agreed to return to the village to become Hokage, then gave Meihui a necklace he recognized as the "Death Chain."

• Orochimaru summoned Manda, while Jiraiya and Tsunade summoned Gamabunta and Katsuyu to join the battle.
• Meihui entered great sage mode and pondered the mysteries of the Naruto world as the Sannin fought.
• Gamabunta pinned Manda down, and Katsuyu's acid ate away at him until Manda canceled the Summoning Technique and returned to Ryūchi Cave.
• Kabuto Yakushi carried Orochimaru away before Jiraiya and Tsunade could stop them, ending the battle.
• Tsunade overcame her fear of blood and agreed to return to the village with Jiraiya to become Hokage.
• Tsunade woke Meihui with a punch and gave him the "Death Chain."

Meihui returned to Konoha with Tsunade, who accepted the role of Fifth Hokage after being welcomed back to the village. The chapter ended with Danzo furious that he had not been chosen.

• Tsunade gave Meihui her grandfather's necklace, and Naruto refused to take it from him.
• During the journey back to Konoha, Tsunade gambled constantly despite losing and said she wanted a few more games before becoming Hokage.
• Jiraiya brought Tsunade to the Hokage's office to meet with the village advisers while Meihui and Naruto ate ramen at Ichiraku.
• The next day, Tsunade gave a speech and officially took office as the Fifth Hokage, using a catchphrase Meihui had taught her.
• Danzo gripped his staff in Root and cursed because he had expected to become the Fifth Hokage.

Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage and treated Sasuke, while Meihui learned that Sasuke still wanted more power. Meihui worried Sasuke would leave Konoha to seek Orochimaru, but believed it was safer to keep him in the village for now.

• Tsunade treated Sasuke, whose injuries were minor, while she and Shizune prepared Rock Lee's surgery.
• Naruto noticed Sasuke was troubled, and Sasuke yelled at him for getting too close.
• Sakura visited Sasuke with flowers, but Meihui intervened when Sasuke grew impatient with her attention.
• Meihui questioned Sasuke about his plans, and Sasuke said he wanted power because he felt unable to do anything as he was.
• Meihui suspected Sasuke might leave Konoha for Orochimaru and decided it would be better to keep him in the village.

Meihui accepted that Sasuke had decided to leave Konoha and warned him about Orochimaru before Sasuke departed secretly that night. The next day, Tsunade formed a squad to retrieve Sasuke, while Orochimaru received news that Sasuke had come to join him.

• Meihui, Sasuke, and Naruto spent the evening together by the riverbank before Meihui asked Sasuke if he was certain about leaving for Orochimaru.
• Sasuke confirmed his decision, said he would leave that night, and departed without telling Naruto.
• Meihui revealed that Naruto had been pretending to sleep, and Naruto admitted through tears that he wanted to become strong enough to protect everyone.
• Tsunade announced Sasuke's defection the next day and assembled Naruto and the others into a special operations squad to bring him back.
• Orochimaru, having just used Living Corpse Reincarnation to replace his ruined body, received word that Sasuke had come to join him.

Meihui learned that his system was upgrading and gave him a mission to survive while its rewards were drained. At the Valley of the End, Naruto fought Sasuke, who departed after handing Meihui his Forehead Protector for Naruto.

• Meihui discovered that his system was upgrading, had consumed his rewards, and issued him a mission to survive.
• Sakura begged Naruto and Meihui to bring Sasuke back, and they followed the Konoha team pursuing him.
• Choji defeated Jirobo and passed out, so Meihui sent a Shadow Clone to carry him back.
• Meihui and Naruto reached Rock Lee and Gaara as they fought Kimimaro, then continued to the Valley of the End.
• Naruto fought Sasuke without Meihui interfering and passed out after their battle.
• Sasuke gave Meihui his Forehead Protector to pass to Naruto and left.

Meihui and Naruto agreed to travel with Jiraiya for training, and the three left Konoha the next day. As they set off, a mysterious watcher with scarlet eyes observed them before vanishing.

• Tsunade questioned Meihui about failing to bring Sasuke back, and Meihui explained Sasuke’s intentions.
• Meihui visited Naruto at the hospital, where Jiraiya invited both brothers on a training journey; they agreed to go.
• Jiraiya informed Tsunade of the plan, and she warned him to stay safe.
• After Naruto recovered, Meihui and Naruto waited at Konoha’s gates for Jiraiya, and the three set out.
• A watcher with scarlet eyes observed the group and vanished, leaving Meihui briefly wondering if someone had been watching him.

Meihui and Naruto trained with Jiraiya for a year, growing far stronger before Meihui began trying to train with the Nine-Tails’ chakra. The system finished upgrading just as Meihui felt a surge of dread and warned him to run, leaving the danger unexplained.

• Meihui and Naruto trained with Jiraiya for a year, reaching Kage Level and jōnin strength respectively.
• Meihui’s system warned him that dangerous events might occur during its upgrade, but he dismissed the warning when nothing happened.
• Meihui asked Jiraiya to guard him while he trained with the Nine-Tails’ chakra to become a Perfect Jinchūriki.
• Meihui entered his Sealing Space and taunted the Nine-Tails by repeatedly reminding it that Madara had beaten it.
• Meihui felt a surge of dread as the system upgrade completed, and the system activated voice dialogue and urged him to run.

Meihui negotiated rent from the Nine-Tails by beating the fox with Adamantine Sealing Chains, then gained a golden chakra cloak. The Nine-Tails wondered whether the old man from Meihui’s dream had revealed its name.

• At the edge of the universe, horned people gathered, and their leader looked into the distance as Meihui’s system warned him to flee.
• Meihui demanded rent from the Nine-Tails, and the fox refused to become a slave.
• Meihui formed his Adamantine Sealing Chains into a palm and slapped the Nine-Tails despite its surrender, until the fox agreed to pay rent.
• Meihui and the Nine-Tails bumped fists, and the fox’s chakra formed a golden cloak around Meihui.
• Jiraiya watched Meihui’s transformation in shock as Meihui prepared to leave and called the Nine-Tails Kurama.
• The Nine-Tails asked how Meihui knew its name, and Meihui said an old man had told him in a dream.

Meihui told Jiraiya how he and Naruto had been mistreated in Konoha, while insisting that he now hated the village less and would uncover those still lurking in its shadows. As Jiraiya took the brothers out to eat, a mysterious figure appeared on the moon and vanished toward Earth, leaving Meihui unaware of the danger approaching him.

• Meihui showed Jiraiya the Nine-Tails chakra cloak and explained that it was only a voluntarily separated portion of the Nine-Tails' chakra, while Naruto eagerly wished for one of his own.
• Jiraiya asked Meihui and Naruto what they thought of Konoha, and Meihui described how villagers had abused and excluded them throughout their childhood.
• Meihui said he no longer hated Konoha as much after Hiruzen Sarutobi's death, but vowed to find the people still hiding in the shadows.
• Jiraiya apologized for what the brothers had suffered and promised to find answers, then offered to buy them a meal.
• A nearly transparent figure appeared on the moon, sensed a faint bloodline connection, and vanished through a rift toward Earth, frightening Otsutsuki Toneri and alarming the sealed Kaguya.

Meihui, Naruto, and Jiraiya were ambushed by the overwhelmingly powerful Ōtsutsuki Zero, who trapped Meihui after easily crushing his attack. With Naruto and Jiraiya fleeing and his own strength outmatched, Meihui asked Kurama to release the seal and lend him all its chakra for one final assault.

• Meihui's Nine-Tails warned him of a powerful presence, so he and Jiraiya fled with Naruto, but Ōtsutsuki Zero caught up to them.
• Ōtsutsuki Zero attacked, and Meihui used Flying Thunder God to evade the slash before discovering that space-time ninjutsu was restricted.
• Meihui told Naruto and Jiraiya to escape, then charged Ōtsutsuki Zero with ice pillars, a Spiral Shuriken, a Nine-Tails Chakra Cloak, and Adamantine Sealing Chains.
• Ōtsutsuki Zero stopped Meihui with a wave and shattered his defenses, but Meihui healed himself with a Senzu Bean while Jiraiya and Naruto escaped.
• Ōtsutsuki Zero seized Meihui in an enormous claw, and Meihui asked Kurama to break the seal and give him all its chakra so he could make the enemy pay.

Meihui gave Kurama’s chakra to himself for a final attack on Ōtsutsuki Zero, but Zero pierced his heart and left him to die. Naruto and Jiraiya later found Meihui missing, and Naruto fainted after grieving and vowing revenge.

• Meihui used Kurama’s chakra and sealing abilities to prepare a desperate attack on Ōtsutsuki Zero.
• Ōtsutsuki Zero pierced Meihui’s heart before he could release his power, then vanished as Meihui and Kurama began to die.
• Naruto sensed Meihui’s death and collapsed in grief, while Jiraiya comforted him and promised Minato he would protect Naruto.
• Ōtsutsuki Zero returned to the universe and angrily dismissed a female Ōtsutsuki who questioned him.
• Jiraiya took Naruto to find Meihui, but they found only bloodstains; Naruto searched the ground, grew furious, and then fainted.

After Meihui's death, Naruto returned to Konoha with Jiraiya, still withdrawn and grieving. Tsunade assigned new members to Team 7, and Naruto accepted without speaking.

• Naruto trained under Jiraiya for three years, learning ninjutsu and mastering Sage Mode.
• Naruto and Jiraiya returned to Konoha, where the gate guardians asked where Meihui was and Naruto walked away, shaken.
• Jiraiya told Tsunade that Meihui had sacrificed himself and that Naruto was still miserable; Tsunade ordered Naruto to report the next morning.
• Naruto spent the night alone at his house, then went with Jiraiya to Tsunade's office.
• Tsunade told Naruto that new members would join Team 7, and Naruto silently agreed.

Tsunade made Sakura her apprentice and assigned her to the new Team 7 alongside Naruto, with Kakashi as their test opponent. Naruto revealed his Sage Mode and overwhelmed Kakashi, who surrendered and handed over the bells.

• Tsunade persuaded Sakura to become her apprentice after finding her grieving over Sasuke in the park.
• Tsunade summoned Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, and Jiraiya to the training grounds and ordered Kakashi to test Naruto and Sakura for the bells.
• Naruto surprised Kakashi by entering Sage Mode instead of creating Shadow Clones.
• Naruto repeatedly attacked Kakashi with Rasengan while Kakashi defended with dog-headed Earth-Style Walls until he ran out of chakra.
• Kakashi surrendered, gave Naruto the bells, and made an excuse to leave.

Naruto’s ramen brought back memories of Meihui, while Meihui was revealed to have survived his apparent death by sacrificing much of his strength. After enduring a painful recovery, Meihui met Uchiha Shizuku, who used her Sharingan to make him recognize her.

• Naruto ignored Sakura after defeating Kakashi, then went home and visited Ichiraku for ramen.
• As Naruto ate, memories of Meihui overwhelmed him, and he cried before heading to a clearing behind the village.
• Meihui’s system revived him after he had been killed, but the rescue cost him most of his strength and left the Nine-Tails asleep.
• Uchiha Shizuku carried Meihui’s body home, where he woke and began coughing blood as his golden hair turned black.
• Meihui’s system repaired his body, and Uchiha Shizuku stayed with him through an agonizing recovery that rebuilt his flesh.
• After Meihui introduced himself, Uchiha Shizuku activated her Sharingan and told him it seemed he had forgotten her.