Chapter Summaries

Bal survived the destruction of his Command Ship and offered Chihane a place in his forces, but Chihane refused and challenged him. As Bal’s alien warriors and Konoha’s assembled ninja prepared to clash, Bal grew intrigued by the planet’s strength and secrets.

• Bal emerged unharmed from the Command Ship’s explosion, while his warriors silently stewed over the ship’s destruction.
• Bal offered to spare the planet if Chihane joined him, but Chihane refused and invited Bal to join Konoha instead.
• Bal rejected Chihane’s answer and signaled his warriors to prepare for battle against Konoha’s jonin.
• Orochimaru and the other Konoha ninja released the Four Red Yang Formation and assembled to face the invaders, summoning allies and readying their abilities.
• Bal sensed Konoha’s powerful fighters and wondered whether the planet’s other four nations concealed even greater strength.

Chihane unleashed his full Demon Aura: Nine-Sword Style and defeated Bal, turning the tide of the battle atop Konoha. With Bal dead, the Four-Armed Race abandoned the fight, and the volume ended with Chihane’s victory.

• Kakashi, Might Guy, and Jiraiya overwhelmed the alien warriors while the battlefield watched Chihane and Bal fight in the sky.
• Bal remained standing after Chihane crashed to the ground, and Konoha’s ninjas believed their god of war had lost.
• Chihane released an immense presence that felled most fighters and revealed his three-headed, six-armed Asura form.
• Chihane charged Bal with his nine blades, cut through Bal’s hammer strike, and sliced Bal to pieces.
• The surviving Four-Armed Race warriors gave up after Bal died, leaving the battle decided in Konoha’s favor.

Chihane killed Bal and established himself as the new king, then Konoha began rebuilding as the Shinobi World reacted to his overwhelming strength. Nagato postponed Akatsuki’s plans and ordered the organization to lie low; three months later, the story moved to Orochimaru’s laboratory in Konoha’s Back Mountain District.

• Chihane descended after defeating Bal and told Orochimaru, "Teacher, I fulfilled my duty."
• News of Chihane’s power spread across the Shinobi World, halting Akatsuki’s operations and suspending the Five Kage Summit.
• The Four Great Shinobi Villages offered Konoha aid with its expanded reconstruction.
• Obito and Pakura taunted Kari during an Akatsuki meeting until Nagato stopped their quarrel and postponed the organization’s plan.
• Nagato ordered Zetsu to continue gathering intelligence on the tailed beasts and told the others to keep a low profile.
• Three months later, Orochimaru worked in a research area in Konoha’s Back Mountain District.

Orochimaru warned Chihane that the alien threat and the gap in technology made space travel impossible, while their warships required planetary cores for fuel. Chihane proposed using the Dragon Vein in the Land of Demons as an alternative, leaving Orochimaru eager to investigate the powerful chakra source.

• Orochimaru told Chihane that alien enemies could come after Bal's defeat and that their technology and strength far surpassed the Shinobi World's.
• Chihane urged Orochimaru to grow stronger and take the initiative, then used Conqueror's Haki to disperse the dark clouds.
• Orochimaru explained that the captured warships ran on planetary cores and that Bal's crew had planned to destroy the Shinobi World to obtain one.
• Orochimaru said Kushina's Nine-Tails chakra could power a ship, but warned that its supply could run out in space.
• Chihane suggested that the Dragon Vein in the Land of Demons could replace a planetary core because its chakra could distort space and time.
• Orochimaru welcomed the possibility of obtaining the Dragon Vein instead of gathering all nine tailed beasts.

After Orochimaru’s visits to Konoha’s clans and Jonin, rumors spread blaming Chihane for the threat of another war and accusing Orochimaru of protecting him. Chihane recognized the campaign as Hiruzen Sarutobi’s counterattack, while villagers turned against them and only Chihane’s childhood friends defended them.

• Orochimaru reassured Chihane that the Three Great Shinobi Villages lacked the strength to start another war, though Chihane was angered by their defiance.
• Orochimaru openly visited Konoha’s major clans and prominent Jonin, while Hiruzen Sarutobi made no apparent counter move.
• Villagers spread rumors that Chihane had provoked the Three Great Shinobi Villages and demanded that Konoha hand him over.
• Sasaki Yuki listened to the growing hostility and believed Chihane could not withstand the entire village.
• Villagers threw rotten food into the Hatake Clan residence and defiled Chihane’s home as rumors also turned against Orochimaru.
• Chihane concluded that Hiruzen Sarutobi was behind the campaign, and his childhood friends were drowned out while defending him and Orochimaru.