Chapter Summaries

After Chihane and Orochimaru resolved the crisis at the Five Kage Summit, Konoha’s villagers regretted ostracizing them and rallied behind Orochimaru as the next Hokage. With Hiruzen Sarutobi still away, the two village elders struggled to find a way to restrain Orochimaru before Hiruzen returned.

• The villagers cleaned Chihane’s home and tried to repay him and Orochimaru with gifts and free food.
• Konoha’s public support shifted toward Orochimaru because he and Chihane had confronted the other villages while Hiruzen Sarutobi had failed to defend them.
• Orochimaru had Uchiha Fugaku and their supporters steer public opinion after losing faith in Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Utatane Koharu asked Mitokado Homura whether Hiruzen had replied, and Homura said Hiruzen would not return until the next afternoon.
• Homura and Koharu realized they lacked the authority or ninja forces to keep Orochimaru in check.

Mitokado Homura proposed defecting with Utatane Koharu to Orochimaru’s camp, offering evidence of Shimura Danzō’s plot against Hatake Sakumo. Meanwhile, Orochimaru’s allies planned their next moves, and Chihane asked Uchiha Fugaku to use his mangekyo to control the Daimyo.

• Mitokado Homura persuaded Utatane Koharu to consider defecting by revealing that he had kept a file documenting Shimura Danzō’s schemes against Hatake Sakumo.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade formally joined Orochimaru’s camp, while Chihane suggested activating the arrangement with the Hyuga Clan.
• Jiraiya warned that Orochimaru needed the Daimyo’s recognition to become Hokage, and Chihane questioned why ninja had to obey the Daimyo.
• Chihane explained that they needed the Daimyo’s cooperation and asked Uchiha Fugaku to use his awakened mangekyo to take control of him.

Uchiha Fugaku revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan, while Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu offered Orochimaru evidence against Danzo and pledged support for replacing Hiruzen. The next morning, Chihane and Hizashi Hyuga gathered Branch Family jonin in the Hyuga compound to begin their plan against the Main Family.

• Uchiha Fugaku revealed that he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Mitokado Homura arrived with Utatane Koharu and offered evidence that Danzo had driven Sakumo to suicide and spread rumors.
• Mitokado Homura called for Hiruzen Sarutobi's removal and backed Orochimaru as the next Hokage.
• Orochimaru promised that Danzo would die and let Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu leave.
• After learning Hiruzen would return that afternoon, Orochimaru received word from Mitokado Homura and Chihane contacted Hizashi Hyuga to set their plan in motion.
• Chihane and Hizashi Hyuga assembled dozens of Branch Family jonin at the Hyuga compound opposite Hyuga Hiashi and the Main Family elders.

Chihane forced the Hyuga Main Family to hand over the Caged Bird Seal Secret Technique and left Hizashi Hyuga to apply it. Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to Konoha, sensed that the village’s praise of Orochimaru signaled a loss of influence, and summoned Cat-Faced ANBU to fetch the two elders.

• Chihane gave Hyuga Hiashi an ultimatum to hand over the Caged Bird Seal Secret Technique or face the Hyuga Clan’s destruction.
• Two Main Family elders urged Hiashi to preserve the clan, and Hiashi agreed to reveal the technique before Chihane’s countdown ended.
• Hiashi explained the Caged Bird Seal’s Cursed Seal to Chihane, who tested it, knocked out the Main Family shinobi with Conqueror’s Haki, and told Hizashi Hyuga how to apply it.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to Konoha and heard villagers praise his choice of Orochimaru as a candidate for Fourth Hokage.
• Hiruzen reached the Hokage Building, summoned Cat-Faced ANBU, and ordered him to fetch the two elders.

Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to Konoha and learned that Orochimaru had gained broad support, leaving his own position in danger. Danzo proposed running for Fourth Hokage, while Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu secretly welcomed the chance to use evidence against him.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi confronted Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu over their failure to restrain Orochimaru, who had gained support from the Uchiha Clan.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu concealed their unusual behavior, and Hiruzen Sarutobi suspected something had happened while he was away.
• Danzo warned Hiruzen Sarutobi that Orochimaru had village support and that Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze had turned against them.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi asked Danzo who could challenge Orochimaru, and Danzo declared that he would run for Fourth Hokage with Root's support.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu realized that Danzo's candidacy would make their evidence about his role in White Fang's suicide more valuable.

Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed to Danzo’s bid for Hokage after suspecting his longtime allies had turned against him, then announced he would resign in a month. At the Clan Leaders’ Council, Shibi Aburame and the Inuzuka clan leader nominated Danzo, prompting Uchiha Fugaku to laugh.

• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu backed Danzo’s candidacy, and Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed while feeling betrayed by his old friends.
• For a month after returning to Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi kept to his duties as calls for Orochimaru to become Hokage grew louder.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi convened the Clan Leaders’ Council and announced he would step down in one month, asking them to discuss the Fourth Hokage.
• Torifu Akimichi urged Hiruzen Sarutobi not to resign, but Hiruzen insisted his decision was final.
• Shibi Aburame and the Inuzuka clan leader nominated Danzo, citing his experience and contributions to the village.
• Uchiha Fugaku laughed at the nomination.

At the clan heads’ meeting, Orochimaru and Danzō were named as candidates for Fourth Hokage, and Hiruzen set a Jonin vote for seven days later. On election day, more than five hundred Jonin gathered as Orochimaru and Danzō prepared to present their cases.

• Uchiha Fugaku challenged Danzō’s record and nominated Orochimaru, while most clans had already pledged their support to Orochimaru.
• Hyuga Hiashi defended Danzō and accused Chihane of preventing him from fighting; Chihane said Danzō had disobeyed orders and asked to be struck.
• Chihane used his pressure to force Hiruzen to intervene, and Hiruzen ended the meeting by naming Danzō and Orochimaru as candidates for a Jonin vote in seven days.
• News of the candidates spread through Konoha, and Danzō grew confident that Hiruzen, the elders, and several clans would support him.
• Orochimaru left the village with Uchiha Fugaku to resolve another problem before facing Danzō.
• Seven days later, Konoha’s Jonin gathered at the Hokage Building for the election, with Orochimaru, Danzō, Hiruzen, and the clan heads present.

At Konoha’s meeting to choose the Fourth Hokage, Orochimaru won the vote while Danzo was exposed for secret experiments and Sakumo’s death. Danzo died attacking Orochimaru, and Hiruzen announced Orochimaru as the next Hokage, ushering Konoha into a new era.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi opened the Hokage selection meeting, where Danzo and Orochimaru each addressed the gathered ninjas.
• Nearly everyone raised a hand for Orochimaru, including Hiruzen Sarutobi, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu, leaving Danzo stunned.
• Mitokado Homura accused Danzo of human experiments and conspiring against Hatake Sakumo, then gave Hiruzen evidence.
• Danzo realized Hiruzen and the elders had made him their scapegoat, then used the Reverse Four Symbols Seal and charged Orochimaru.
• Chihane pushed Orochimaru out of danger and cut Danzo in half with a Flying Slash as the sealing jutsu trapped the meeting room.
• Uchiha Fugaku revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan, and Hiruzen announced Orochimaru as the next Hokage, with the inauguration set for half a month later.

After Orochimaru won the Hokage election, Konoha reorganized its leadership and Chihane took charge of the ANBU. Chihane delegated most of his work to Minato, whose constant hours at the ANBU base upset Kushina, so she went to Tsunade for help.

• Orochimaru and Hiruzen Sarutobi publicly blamed Danzo’s death on his attempt to attack Orochimaru after losing the election, while Hiruzen handed Chihane the Scroll of Seals.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu retired from leadership, and Jiraiya, Tsunade, Uchiha Fugaku, and Hiruzen became Konoha’s new elders.
• Orochimaru appointed new leaders across Konoha’s departments, while the Uchiha Clan joined more village institutions and Jiraiya declined to run a department.
• Chihane took over the ANBU, transferred Kakashi into it, and persuaded Orochimaru to assign Minato as his deputy chief.
• Minato worked late at the ANBU base night after night, and Kushina sought Tsunade’s help in getting Chihane to ease his workload.

After Tsunade and Kushina confronted Orochimaru about Minato’s ANBU workload, Orochimaru arranged Minato’s hours and assigned Anko and Uchiha Itachi to Chihane. Chihane took the children to a dessert shop, where Itachi refused to come in, leaving Chihane to wonder whether his father was trying to save money.

• Tsunade and Kushina complained to Orochimaru about Chihane mistreating Minato, so Orochimaru negotiated Minato’s working hours with them.
• Orochimaru found Chihane training on the Back Mountain and assigned Anko and Uchiha Itachi to him.
• Chihane walked through Konoha with Anko and Itachi, then brought them to a dessert shop after Anko admired the dumplings.
• Chihane invited Itachi inside and offered to pay, but Itachi refused, saying ninja should avoid sugary foods.
• Chihane suspected Uchiha Fugaku forbade Itachi from eating desserts because they were expensive and reflected on his own lack of money.

Chihane left Anko and Itachi with Kakashi after Orochimaru summoned him to the Hokage’s Office. Orochimaru invited Chihane to accompany him and Hiruzen Sarutobi to the Land of Fire’s capital to receive his appointment as Hokage from the Daimyo, leaving Chihane curious about the Daimyo’s authority over ninja.

• Chihane convinced himself and Anko that sweets made people stronger, while Itachi grew angry at his deception.
• An ANBU member summoned Chihane on Orochimaru’s behalf, and Chihane left Kakashi to supervise Anko and Itachi’s training.
• In the Hokage’s Office, Orochimaru told Chihane that he and Hiruzen Sarutobi were going to the capital to collect his appointment letter from the Daimyo.
• Chihane agreed to go with Orochimaru because he wanted to see the capital and learn why ninja obeyed the Daimyo.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi warned Orochimaru to act cautiously, since the Daimyo could cut Konoha’s funding.

Chihane, Orochimaru, and Hiruzen Sarutobi reached the Capital of the Land of Fire and went to meet the Daimyo. After guards admitted them to the reception room, the Daimyo invited Hiruzen and the two elders inside.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi led Chihane and the others through the prosperous capital toward the Daimyo's Residence, refusing to delay their visit for lunch.
• Chihane bought food for himself and Orochimaru and ate it noisily beside Hiruzen as they continued to the residence.
• Chihane saw twelve chunin-level samurai guarding the residence and wondered how strong the Daimyo's personal bodyguards were.
• The samurai recognized Hiruzen Sarutobi's Hokage regalia, reported their arrival, and escorted the group to the reception room.
• A guard told Hiruzen Sarutobi that the Daimyo invited him and the two elders inside.

At the Daimyo’s Residence, Chihane silenced a group of small-village ninja who mocked Konoha, while Orochimaru watched. The confrontation ended with the taunters unconscious or dead, and Chihane turned his attention to the monk who had resisted his power.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi entered the reception room with the two elders while Orochimaru waited outside.
• Several oddly dressed ninja mocked Hiruzen and provoked Chihane and Orochimaru, but the pair initially ignored them.
• After Chihane finished his takoyaki, he unleashed his Conqueror’s Haki and knocked out the ninja and the samurai guarding the door.
• Chihane spared the ninja who had taunted him, then frightened him to death with a simulated sword strike using Shusui.
• Chihane looked toward the monk, who fainted on his own, impressing Orochimaru with his will and judgment.

At the Fire Daimyo’s reception, Hiruzen Sarutobi pushed for Orochimaru to become Fourth Hokage, and the frightened Daimyo immediately appointed him. Outside, Chihane forced Chiriku to become his subordinate, leaving Chiriku alarmed to learn his new boss was Chihane Hatake.

• Hiruzen Sarutobi recommended Orochimaru as the next Hokage and summoned him into the Daimyo’s reception room.
• The Daimyo saw the guards lying outside and, fearing Hiruzen’s intentions, appointed Orochimaru as Konoha’s Fourth Hokage.
• Chihane threatened Chiriku until the monk agreed to work for him.
• Chihane introduced himself as Chihane Hatake, and Chiriku recognized the name from exaggerated rumors about his appearance.

Chihane settled Chiriku into life as his underling and subjected him to punishing training while showing him Konoha and explaining why he and Hiruzen protected its people. As Orochimaru’s Hokage inauguration approached, Tsunade drank herself to sleep, muttering about Nawaki, Dan, Chihane, and Orochimaru.

• Chihane gave Chiriku a room and assigned him an early training schedule and other duties after returning to Konoha.
• Kakashi returned, and Chihane introduced him to Chiriku, who learned that escaping Chihane’s persistence would be difficult.
• Chiriku overslept, joined Chihane and Kakashi’s training, and collapsed from exhaustion before following them to breakfast.
• Chihane took Chiriku to the ANBU base and Back Mountain for more training, then showed him Konoha from Hokage Rock and explained his desire to protect the villagers’ happiness.
• Chihane visited his friends with Chiriku and continued training him at home that evening.
• Shizune tried to stop Tsunade from drinking ahead of Orochimaru’s inauguration, but Tsunade fell asleep while murmuring several names.

On the eve of Orochimaru’s inauguration, Jiraiya considered leaving the village, while Uchiha Fugaku celebrated his clan’s entry into Konoha’s leadership. Hiruzen passed the Hokage mantle to Orochimaru, who was publicly inaugurated as the Fourth Hokage at dawn.

• Jiraiya narrowly avoided Tsunade’s punch and decided to sleep early before Orochimaru’s inauguration.
• Uchiha Fugaku gathered the Sharingan-bearing clan members and promised Shisui Uchiha and Uchiha Goudan the clan’s support as they entered village leadership.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi encouraged Orochimaru to accept the Hokage’s responsibility and placed the Hokage hat on his head.
• Chihane, Kakashi, Chiriku, and the village leaders gathered at the Hokage Building as Konoha’s villagers assembled below.
• Orochimaru raised his hat and declared himself the Fourth Hokage.

Chihane tried to improve the Eight Gates of Death with Tsunade while she repeatedly challenged Might Duy, and Chiriku watched in disbelief at Konoha’s strength. An ANBU summoned Chihane to Orochimaru, who was waiting for him in the Hokage’s Office.

• Chihane and Might Duy fought in the woods while Chiriku watched, and Tsunade explained that Duy was among Konoha’s strongest Jonin.
• Chihane recalled that Tsunade’s research into the Eight Gates of Death had made little progress and that she kept sparring with Duy.
• Chihane tried to get Chiriku to spar with Tsunade, but Chiriku refused, and Tsunade began fighting Duy instead.
• Tsunade shattered the ground with a stomp, leaving Chiriku stunned by her strength and wary of Konoha.
• An ANBU told Chihane that Orochimaru wanted to see him, and Chihane went to the Hokage’s Office.

Chihane agreed with Orochimaru’s plan to bring Hiruzen Sarutobi back to handle Konoha’s routine administration, freeing Orochimaru to help improve the Eight Gates of Death. Chihane hoped that refining the technique would give him a way to face future Six Paths-level enemies, though using its final gate could cost him his life.

• Orochimaru teased Chihane by making him think he had summoned him to take over the mountain of paperwork.
• Chihane guessed that Orochimaru wanted Hiruzen Sarutobi to return and manage Konoha’s routine affairs, and Orochimaru confirmed it.
• Chihane agreed that Hiruzen could handle the documents and mission assignments while Orochimaru focused on improving the Eight Gates of Death.
• Chihane considered his strength plateau and concluded that opening the Gate of Death might be his only way to defeat a Six Paths-level opponent, despite its lethal cost.
• Chihane reasoned that Orochimaru’s expertise in forbidden techniques and human anatomy could help refine the Eight Gates of Death beyond Might Duy’s work.

Orochimaru showed Chihane Konoha’s hidden collection of forbidden techniques and proposed a way to test and improve the Eight Gates of Death with Tsunade’s help. A year later, Chihane stood ready to begin the first experiment at the Back Mountain site.

• Orochimaru led Chihane into a secret chamber beneath the Hokage Building, where Konoha stored its ninjutsu and forbidden techniques.
• Chihane examined the sealing techniques while Orochimaru explained that medical ninjutsu could help him survive the Gate of Death’s effects.
• Orochimaru proposed repeatedly testing the Gate of Death and having Tsunade use the Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique to repair Chihane afterward.
• Chihane agreed to begin the experiments, and Orochimaru warned him that Might Duy was too injured to participate.
• One year later, Chihane stood wired to testing equipment at the Back Mountain site as Orochimaru and Tsunade prepared the experiment, and he opened the Gate of Death.

Chihane completed testing the improved Eight Gates technique as Orochimaru and Tsunade recorded the results, then learned that Karatachi Yagura had become Isobu’s jinchūriki. A flashback revealed Yagura’s plan to seal Isobu into himself to strengthen his grip on a weakened Kirigakure, leaving his dangerous attempt about to begin.

• Chihane opened and closed the Gate of Death while Orochimaru and Tsunade collected data on the improved Eight Gates.
• Tsunade congratulated Chihane on completing the research, and he asked her to pass the refined technique to Might Dai.
• An ANBU ninja delivered Minato’s intelligence that Karatachi Yagura had become the new Three-Tails jinchūriki, prompting Chihane to hand the report to Orochimaru.
• The story shifted to half a month earlier, when Yagura prepared to seal Isobu inside himself near Kirigakure.
• Yagura told the Mist ANBU chief that the village called him a weak Mizukage and that he hoped mastering Isobu would let him reshape Kirigakure’s power structure.