Chapter Summaries

Hatake Ziyan confronted Hanzō and rescued Yahiko from him. Hanzō tried to flee, but Ziyan followed him each time, leaving Hanzō to ask what he wanted to know.

• Hatake Ziyan told Hanzō that the shinobi hidden in the woods were likely dead, leaving Hanzō with only Yahiko as a hostage.
• Hanzō recalled his past duels with Mifune and Hatake Ziyan, then asked Ziyan to let him leave in exchange for Yahiko.
• As Hatake Ziyan approached, Hanzō retreated to the cliff edge and threatened to kill Yahiko if Ziyan came closer.
• Hatake Ziyan seized Hanzō's weapon hand, took Yahiko from him, and tossed him to Nagato and Konan.
• Hanzō used Water Body Flicker to escape, but Hatake Ziyan appeared near him each time, so Hanzō stopped and asked what Ziyan wanted to know.

Hatake Ziyan forced Hanzō to reveal that Konoha's Hokage had supplied information used to turn him against the Akatsuki, then returned to the secret base to reprimand Yahiko. The chapter ended with Yahiko still trying to guess what he had done wrong.

• Hatake Ziyan demanded to know who had helped Hanzō attack the Akatsuki, and cut off one of Hanzō's arms when he tried to evade the question.
• Hanzō revealed that a high-ranking person from Konoha had provided information and identified that person as the Hokage, though he did not know which Hokage it was.
• Hatake Ziyan left Hanzō, who retrieved his severed arm and fled toward Amegakure.
• Hatake Ziyan returned to the Akatsuki's secret base, where Yahiko apologized for his mistake.
• Hatake Ziyan slapped Yahiko twice as he guessed at what he had done wrong, while Nagato and Konan watched in dismay.

Hatake Ziyan challenged Yahiko’s belief that one person could bring lasting peace and urged him to study the Land of Iron. After leaving the Akatsuki, Ziyan returned to Konoha and went straight to meet Minato Namikaze.

• Hatake Ziyan rebuked Yahiko for risking his life and explained that Hashirama’s strength had only brought temporary peace because people’s desires persisted.
• Yahiko asked how peace could be achieved, and Ziyan suggested he visit the Land of Iron to see how it was governed.
• Ziyan dismissed the idea that he sought world peace, then said goodbye to Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan before vanishing.
• Ziyan left the Akatsuki’s Secret Base and traveled back to Konoha, taking half a day to arrive.
• Upon returning, Ziyan went directly to the Hokage Building to find Minato Namikaze.

Hatake Ziyan told Minato Namikaze that he intended to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi over a suspected betrayal, then left before Minato could learn the details. Minato sent Anbu to gather powerful allies and hurried away as Hatake Ziyan appeared in a courtyard with a red-haired woman and a young child.

• Hatake Ziyan questioned Minato Namikaze about Hiruzen Sarutobi claiming he had gone away on business.
• Hatake Ziyan said he planned to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi for secretly giving information to the enemies of people he trained.
• Minato Namikaze urged Hatake Ziyan to wait for evidence, but Hatake Ziyan refused and told him to ask Jiraiya about the matter.
• Hatake Ziyan vanished from the Hokage Office, and Minato ordered Anbu to gather the Sannin, White Fang and his son, the Uchiha Three Heroes, Senju Nawaki, and Might Guy.
• Minato Namikaze used Flying Thunder God to leave the office, while a yellow flash appeared in a courtyard where a red-haired woman was playing with a child.

Hatake Ziyan confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi about contacting Hanzō and betraying Konoha, but Hiruzen denied everything. Hatake Ziyan revealed a group of corpses and threatened to bring out a survivor, leaving Hiruzen facing more evidence.

• Minato hurried Kushina away to explain that something major was about to happen, but she insisted on making sure their son was safe first.
• Hatake Ziyan found Hiruzen Sarutobi fishing and asked when he had contacted Hanzō.
• Hiruzen denied the accusation and challenged Hatake Ziyan to produce evidence.
• Hatake Ziyan compared betrayal to a fish dying for bait, then summoned several corpses from a Sealing Scroll.
• Hiruzen denied recognizing the corpses, and Hatake Ziyan threatened to bring out a survivor to confront him.

Hatake Ziyan confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi over evidence that Hiruzen had acted against him, but Hiruzen denied the accusations and challenged Ziyan to prove them. As witnesses gathered, Ziyan revealed that a survivor was on the way to Konoha, and Jiraiya interrupted just as Ziyan prepared to attack Hiruzen.

• Hatake Ziyan offered to have the Tanaka clan retrieve memories from the dead, but Hiruzen Sarutobi rejected the idea and continued denying the accusations.
• Hatake Ziyan drew his sword and threatened to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi, who appealed to his status as Third Hokage.
• Hatake Sakumo, Kakashi, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and other villagers gathered on the rooftops, while Hiruzen Sarutobi urged them to witness Ziyan's lack of evidence.
• Minato Namikaze and Kushina arrived, and Hatake Ziyan said a survivor would soon come to Konoha to testify.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi revealed that he knew the messenger was returning from Amegakure, and Hatake Ziyan pointed out that this betrayed his knowledge of contact with Hanzō.
• Hatake Ziyan prepared to attack Hiruzen Sarutobi, but Jiraiya jumped down and asked whether something had happened in Amegakure.

Hatake Ziyan confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi over sending former Anbu members after Jiraiya’s students in Amegakure. After a surviving attacker identified Hiruzen as the one who ordered the mission, Hatake Ziyan killed him.

• Hatake Ziyan accused Hiruzen Sarutobi of leaking information to Hanzō and sending men after one of Jiraiya’s students, and Jiraiya realized only Hiruzen had known about the mission.
• Hatake Sakumo recognized the dead men as former Anbu, and Minato Namikaze agreed to check the records.
• Hatake Ziyan gave Hiruzen a chance to explain the evidence or face death, then brought out a survivor from Amegakure.
• The survivor began naming Hiruzen Sarutobi as the one who sent him, but jutsu backlash killed him before he could finish.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi blamed Hatake Ziyan and began to speak, but Hatake Ziyan struck him down with a White Flash.

Hatake Ziyan killed Hiruzen Sarutobi after accusing him of repeatedly endangering Konoha and Ziyan’s family. After Ziyan explained Hiruzen’s past crimes, the gathered shinobi stayed silent as Ziyan left with Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi.

• Hatake Ziyan slit Hiruzen Sarutobi’s throat, then challenged the gathered shinobi when Minato Namikaze objected to the killing.
• Hatake Ziyan explained that Hiruzen had arranged a doomed mission for Hatake Sakumo to protect his own position as Hokage.
• Hatake Ziyan accused Hiruzen of trying to seize control of Naruto as a Jinchuriki and killing Utatane Koharu to conceal his actions.
• Hatake Ziyan said Hiruzen had leaked news of Kushina’s childbirth to undermine Minato Namikaze and reclaim the Hokage position, nearly causing the Nine-Tails to be released.
• Hatake Ziyan said Hiruzen had recently passed information to Hanzō of Amegakure, then offered to leave Konoha or fight anyone seeking revenge.
• Hatake Ziyan took the gathered shinobi’s silence as acceptance and left with Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi.

After Hiruzen Sarutobi’s death, Biwako revealed that she had suspected his wrongdoing and showed Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze a hidden archive documenting his actions. She died in a fire at the house, while Minato and Jiraiya took the records with them.

• Minato Namikaze dismissed the others and kept Hiruzen Sarutobi’s death from being discussed outside.
• Biwako returned, identified Lord Ziyan as Hiruzen’s killer, and said Hiruzen’s pursuit of power had led her to expect his downfall.
• Biwako led Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze to a hidden room containing scrolls that recorded Hiruzen’s orders and misconduct.
• Jiraiya and Minato read records of Hiruzen’s dealings with Danzo and Orochimaru, his treatment of Hatake Sakumo, and the plan to release the Nine-Tails.
• A nearby room caught fire, and Minato stopped Jiraiya from trying to rescue Biwako as she burned.
• Minato and Jiraiya returned to the hidden room to gather the records and leave.

After Hiruzen Sarutobi and his wife died in a fire, Minato Namikaze and Jiraiya hid the true circumstances to protect Konoha’s reputation. A week later, Asuma asked to see his father’s belongings and froze after reading one of the documents.

• Minato Namikaze and Jiraiya emerged from Hiruzen Sarutobi’s burning house with documents, and Minato claimed they had been rescuing them.
• The Sarutobi Clan’s ninja found two charred bodies in the ruins, while the clan later demanded that Minato explain the couple’s deaths.
• Asuma returned to Konoha and asked Minato for his father’s belongings, but Minato said he could only inspect them.
• Minato took Asuma to the Hokage Building basement and left him alone with the documents.
• Asuma opened a scroll, froze as he read it, and dropped it with trembling hands.

Asuma discovered scrolls revealing his father’s deeds and nearly burned them before Minato stopped him and urged him to make amends by protecting Konoha. Five years later, Hatake Ziyan completed the first-generation Konoha 12 cultivation mission and received a major advance in both cultivation methods, reaching the eighth level.

• Asuma read the scrolls, became distraught, and tried to burn them.
• Minato took Asuma to Training Ground No. 3, where Asuma released a Great Fireball Technique before stopping and listening to Minato’s advice.
• Asuma returned to the village to clear his head, and Minato went back to the Hokage Building.
• Over the next five years, Hatake Ziyan trained in seclusion and later taught the original Konoha 12 academic subjects at the Ninja Academy.
• Hatake Ziyan heard that he had completed the cultivation mission and sent Kakashi to request leave for him.
• Hatake Ziyan absorbed the system’s physical and spiritual energy, advancing both cultivation methods to the early and middle stages of the eighth level.

After absorbing a huge surge of energy, Hatake Ziyan went to Back Mountain to test his strength and swordsmanship, causing a disturbance that alarmed Konoha. Gekko Hayate investigated, unaware that Ziyan was using invisible sword energy to test his control, and found himself facing Ziyan’s sword at close range.

• Hatake Ziyan tested his increased strength with Tai Chi, then practiced Hatake Swordsmanship and sent powerful tremors through Back Mountain.
• Minato Namikaze summoned Anbu, learned Gekko Hayate had gone to investigate, and decided not to go himself.
• Gekko Hayate entered Back Mountain after the tremors stopped, unaware that Hatake Ziyan had detected him despite his invisibility.
• Hatake Ziyan guided sword-energy blades around Hayate to test his spiritual power, narrowly avoiding striking him as the blades passed near vital areas.
• Gekko Hayate parted the bushes in front of Hatake Ziyan and saw a sword looming toward him.

Hatake Ziyan demonstrated how to strengthen Gekko Hayate’s sword technique, but his slash sent a fissure racing toward Hokage Rock. The chapter ended with the fissure striking the monument.

• Hatake Ziyan stopped Gekko Hayate from attacking him and teased him about confessing his feelings to Uzuki Yugao.
• Gekko Hayate showed Hatake Ziyan his final sword technique, Startling Swan, and Hatake Ziyan advised him to compress the chakra around his blade.
• Hatake Ziyan demonstrated the technique with a powerful slash that split the ground and sent a fissure toward Hokage Rock.
• Gekko Hayate ran toward Hokage Rock but could not catch up with the advancing fissure.
• Hatake Ziyan realized his increased mental power had amplified the slash, and a tremendous crash sounded as the fissure hit Hokage Rock.

Hatake Ziyan was blamed for the fissure that split the Third Hokage’s statue, but he denied responsibility and prompted Shisui, Itachi, and Obito to claim they caused the damage while sparring. They summoned their Susanoo to support the story, leaving the gathered Konoha leaders stunned and skeptical.

• Gekko Hayate found the fissure had split the Third Hokage’s stone likeness and hesitated to tell Minato Namikaze what had happened.
• Minato Namikaze and Konoha’s leaders questioned Gekko Hayate, while Hatake Ziyan returned and nudged him into giving a false explanation.
• Gekko Hayate claimed he had seen Chang Wei beating up Lai Fu, and the gathered people recognized Hatake Ziyan as the likely culprit.
• As the others prepared to leave, Hatake Ziyan asked Gekko Hayate to clear his name, and Shisui, Itachi, and Obito stepped forward to take the blame.
• Shisui, Itachi, and Obito claimed their sparring had caused the damage and summoned their Susanoo, leaving the onlookers doubtful that the giants had gone unnoticed.

After Hatake Ziyan left the damaged Hokage monument behind, Minato Namikaze struggled with the disrespect he felt from Konoha's leaders. Kushina helped him see that Ziyan's actions had strengthened the village, and Minato let go of his resentment.

• Hatake Ziyan departed after the three Susanoo users withdrew their Susanoo, accidentally breaking another piece off the Third Hokage's stone face.
• The leaders left with excuses, and Uchiha Fugaku agreed to have his clan repair the monument while Minato Namikaze promised to blame tremors.
• Minato Namikaze sent Gekko Hayate away and went home, where he told Kushina what had happened.
• Kushina reminded Minato that Hatake Ziyan had helped make Konoha stronger and that the clans still obeyed Minato's orders.
• Minato understood Kushina's point, let go of his resentment, and told her that marrying her was his greatest stroke of luck.

Hatake Ziyan took charge of Class A at the Ninja Academy and selected twelve students, including Naruto Uzumaki and Neji, to train under him. He dismissed the other students and left Neji impressed by his genjutsu and identity.

• Minato carried a blushing Kushina into their bedroom after teasing her.
• Hatake Ziyan told Iruka he would take responsibility for teaching Class A and asked him to bring Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee.
• Hatake Ziyan kept Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Ino-Shika-Cho, Hinata Hyuga, Sakura, Shino Aburame, and Kiba Inuzuka in the classroom and ordered the other students out.
• Iruka agreed to take the dismissed students and continue teaching them, while Hatake Ziyan said he would teach only the twelve selected students.
• Hatake Ziyan used genjutsu to make the remaining protesting students leave, and Neji recognized him as the legendary Hatake Ziyan.

Hatake Ziyan gathered twelve young shinobi to train, then took Neji to the Hyuga Compound to remove his Caged Bird Seal. Neji insisted the seal could not be removed, leaving Ziyan’s plan in doubt.

• Hatake Ziyan reassured Shikamaru and Neji that he was qualified to train them by explaining that he had trained Konoha’s powerful shinobi.
• Hatake Ziyan demonstrated his strength with a fraction of his aura, then summoned Neji to come with him.
• Hatake Ziyan assigned the other children weighted runs, push-ups, and frog jumps, and told Kakashi to supervise them.
• Hatake Ziyan led Neji toward the Hyuga Compound and said he needed to remove Neji’s Caged Bird Seal to train him properly.
• Neji told Hatake Ziyan that the Caged Bird Seal could not be removed.

Hatake Ziyan brought Neji to the Hyuga compound and asked Hiashi to remove Neji’s Caged Bird Seal, arguing that a lost method did not make the seal impossible to remove. Hiashi summoned the Main Family elders to decide whether the clan would permit it, while Neji waited with Hatake Ziyan.

• Hatake Ziyan told Neji that problems could be solved with enough means or strength, then entered the Hyuga compound with him.
• Hatake Ziyan told Hiashi that he had selected Neji and Hinata Hyuga for the Konoha 12 training plan.
• Hatake Ziyan demanded that Hiashi remove Neji’s Caged Bird Seal, but Hiashi said the method had been lost decades ago.
• Hatake Ziyan asked whether the Hyuga Clan would object if he removed the seal and told Hiashi to consult the Main Family elders.
• Hiashi called a clan meeting, and Neji hesitated to sit in Hiashi’s seat before kneeling beside Hatake Ziyan.

Hyuga Hiashi consulted the clan elders about Hatake Ziyan's offer to train Hinata Hyuga and Neji Hyuga and remove Neji's Caged Bird Seal. The elders agreed, but Hiashi returned to tell Hatake Ziyan that the clan had one request.

• Hyuga Hiashi told the elders that Hatake Ziyan wanted to train Hinata Hyuga and Neji Hyuga and remove Neji's Caged Bird Seal.
• The Second Elder objected to freeing Neji, while the First Elder warned the clan not to provoke Hatake Ziyan.
• The First Elder agreed to the removal on the condition that Hatake Ziyan keep the method secret and conceal that Neji's seal was gone.
• Hatake Ziyan prepared to leave with Neji, who believed the clan had rejected him.
• Hyuga Hiashi arrived and told Hatake Ziyan that the clan had approved removing Neji's seal, but had one request.

Hatake Ziyan promised Hiashi he would keep Neji’s Caged Bird Seal removal secret and left the Hyuga compound with Neji. At the Ninja Academy, Neji discovered that Ziyan had already removed the seal with a touch, then stood stunned as Ziyan sent him back to training.

• Hiashi asked Hatake Ziyan not to teach anyone else how to remove the Caged Bird Seal and to keep Neji’s removal secret, and Ziyan agreed.
• Hatake Ziyan declined Hiashi’s offer of lunch and took Neji back to the Ninja Academy.
• Hiashi laughed with Hizashi, who reminded him to remember his position as a branch-family member.
• Hatake Ziyan told Neji to go train, and Neji mistakenly thought Ziyan had not removed his seal.
• Neji angrily accused Hatake Ziyan of breaking his promise, and Ziyan told him the seal was already gone.
• Neji froze in surprise and relief, then approached Ziyan, who told him to return to training.