Chapter Summaries

Aokiji persuaded Kakuzu to consider controlling a country as a profitable investment and outlined a scheme to manufacture a coup, install an impostor as Daimyo, and take power. Kakuzu agreed to support the plan but balked when Aokiji said they would invest their money in improving the country, prompting Aokiji to introduce the ideas of economic foundations and sustainable exploitation.

• Aokiji and Kakuzu sorted the stolen valuables and found a scroll describing a theoretical two-person Chakra technique, which Aokiji considered practicing with Tsunade.
• Aokiji learned that Kakuzu saved his earnings and explained how inflation and the time value of money could reduce their worth.
• Aokiji proposed gaining control of a country by provoking a coup, rescuing a Prince, and installing someone to impersonate him as Daimyo.
• Aokiji offered Kakuzu the role of Tax Bureau Director in their future government, and Kakuzu showed interest in the position.
• Aokiji said they would invest their money in the country and improve living conditions, leaving Kakuzu reluctant to spend his wealth.

Aokiji persuaded Kakuzu to target the Land of Bears, then returned to Konoha and reported that he had abandoned the escort mission. Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered Anbu to arrest him, so Aokiji fled and decided to seek help from Elder Itachi.

• Aokiji explained why the Land of Waterfalls was a poor target and recommended the Land of Bears, whose Star Meteorite interested him.
• Kakuzu agreed to target the Land of Bears and gave Aokiji a way to contact him, while Aokiji returned to Konoha.
• Aokiji reported to Sarutobi Hiruzen that he had abandoned the mission because the enemy was too strong to defeat.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered Anbu to capture Aokiji so Konoha could answer for the Daimyo's relative's death.
• Aokiji used the Fire Release: Dust Cloud Technique to escape the Hokage's Office and fled from the pursuing Anbu.
• Aokiji decided to seek help from Elder Itachi to avoid imprisonment or being sent to the Daimyo.

Aokiji was captured by Anbu and imprisoned after surviving a disastrous mission, while the Uchiha Clan Leader and Elder Itachi discussed how to protect him. Elder Itachi revealed that Aokiji possessed the Sharingan as well as Ice Release, and the chapter ended with Aokiji weakened in his cell.

• Aokiji reached the Konoha Police Department but was trapped by Anbu, who sealed his Chakra and took him away.
• The Konoha Military Police Force objected to Anbu’s arrest, but its officers backed down after recognizing that the Anbu acted on the Hokage’s authority.
• The Uchiha Clan Leader told Elder Itachi that Aokiji would be blamed for the failed mission, while Elder Itachi insisted on protecting him.
• Elder Itachi revealed that Aokiji possessed the Sharingan and had forbidden him from using it to shield the clan’s trump card from Konoha’s higher-ups.
• The Uchiha Clan Leader agreed to protect Aokiji for the clan’s future, while Aokiji lay powerless in prison with his Chakra sealed.

Tsunade tried to secure Aokiji’s release, but Sarutobi Hiruzen settled on sending him to Hozuki Castle until the real culprit was found. Mito discovered Tsunade’s feelings for Aokiji and agreed to help, while Aokiji ended the chapter imprisoned and plotting a ransom scheme.

• Tsunade brought Aokiji food in prison, and he apologized for making her worry.
• Tsunade asked Mito to intervene, but Mito initially refused to undermine Sarutobi Hiruzen’s authority.
• Mito sensed that Tsunade had fallen for Aokiji and offered to help save him.
• With the Uchiha Clan and Mito’s efforts, Sarutobi Hiruzen sent Aokiji to Hozuki Castle instead of handing him over to the Daimyo.
• Aokiji arrived at Hozuki Castle, received the Fire Release: Heavenly Prison seal, and planned to kidnap the Fire Country Daimyo with Kakuzu for ransom.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and the Uchiha Clan Leader tried to secure Aokiji’s release, but Prince Shinji refused and threatened Konoha’s funding. After Uchiha Enka reported the failure, Elder Itachi decided he would act to free Aokiji.

• The Uchiha Clan Leader told Sarutobi Hiruzen that the alleged culprit behind the lord’s murder had been caught, and Sarutobi promised to negotiate Aokiji’s release from Hozuki Castle.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen relied on the Uchiha Clan Leader’s account without interrogating the suspect and rejected the Konoha Military Police Force’s budget request, prompting the clan leader to suppress his anger.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uchiha Enka met Prince Shinji, who showed off his Unicorn Horse, Hermes, before hearing their request to release Aokiji.
• Prince Shinji refused to release Aokiji, insulted Uchiha Enka, and threatened to reconsider Konoha’s budget allocation.
• Uchiha Enka reported the refusal to the Uchiha Clan Leader and Elder Itachi, who decided he would act to free Aokiji.

After someone killed Shinji’s Unicorn Horse and left its head in his bed, Prince Huang Ren warned him that the Uchiha Clan might be responsible and urged him to release Aokiji. Aokiji was freed from Hozuki Castle and left plotting to kidnap the Daimyo’s son for ransom.

• Shinji woke covered in blood and discovered that someone had killed his Unicorn Horse and placed its severed head beneath his blanket.
• Prince Huang Ren suspected the Uchiha Clan had killed the horse in response to Aokiji’s imprisonment and warned Shinji that refusing to release him could put Shinji’s life at risk.
• At Hozuki Castle, Aokiji followed a guard to the Castle Lord’s office and learned that his village had come to take him back.
• The Castle Lord released Aokiji’s restraints and returned his clothes, and Aokiji left Hozuki Castle determined to take revenge on the Daimyo by kidnapping his favored son with Kakuzu.

After being released from prison, Aokiji gained permission to leave Konoha and travel, saying goodbye to Tsunade and his friends before heading to meet Kakuzu. He reached Kakuzu’s pawnshop in disguise and asked to work with him to make money.

• Aokiji reunited with Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, then thanked Elder Itachi for securing his release from prison.
• Aokiji told Elder Itachi and Sarutobi Hiruzen he planned to travel, and learned that Tsunade’s promotion would lead to his team’s disbandment.
• Jiraiya gave Aokiji a lewd konjac gift, and Aokiji told Jiraiya and Orochimaru he would be leaving Konoha.
• Tsunade and Aokiji shared a kiss, agreed to go on dates, and discussed whether to make their relationship public before Aokiji departed the next day.
• Aokiji disguised himself as Asakura Hao, killed the pawnshop guard, and waited until Kakuzu returned to meet him privately.
• Aokiji told Kakuzu about his imprisonment and release, then said he had come to make money.

Aokiji persuaded Kakuzu to consider kidnapping the Fire Country Daimyo's son for revenge and profit, while planning to launder their stolen wealth and eventually go legitimate. As Aokiji began organizing Kakuzu's assets with formal accounting methods, Kakuzu became intrigued and asked about learning accounting.

• Aokiji proposed kidnapping the Fire Country Daimyo's son, and Kakuzu warned that the plan carried serious risks.
• Aokiji explained that the kidnapping was motivated by revenge against people who had mistreated him in prison, and he and Kakuzu discussed hiding their identities and recruiting helpers.
• Aokiji warned Kakuzu that their stolen money and valuables could be traced, then proposed laundering the money and eventually going legitimate.
• Aokiji asked Kakuzu to bring his financial records, criticized the incomplete ledger, and began organizing Kakuzu's assets with accounting entries.
• Aokiji explained what accounting was, and Kakuzu showed interest in learning it.

Aokiji persuaded Kakuzu to learn accounting and founded Akatsuki with him as a group for making money through crimes. After they agreed to seek recruits and targets, Aokiji left Kakuzu to investigate while he waited for Tsunade, who finally arrived at the teahouse.

• Aokiji convinced Kakuzu to pay for accounting lessons by warning him that an embezzling accountant could steal his money.
• Aokiji and Kakuzu planned to kidnap the Daimyo's son for ransom and named their organization Akatsuki, with the slogan, “We do not make money. We are merely porters of the treasury.”
• Aokiji proposed that they recruit companions together and spend two weeks investigating wicked, wealthy targets before meeting again.
• Aokiji left Kakuzu to investigate while he waited for Tsunade, and Kakuzu departed to get back to work, inspiring his subordinates with his diligence.
• One week later, Aokiji waited at a teahouse until Tsunade covered his eyes and greeted him.

Aokiji and Tsunade spent a date shopping and teasing each other about their relationship. After Tsunade grew jealous of a puppy being held, Aokiji lifted and spun her around in the street.

• Tsunade invited Aokiji to shop for clothes, and they teased each other about her figure and his wish to touch her.
• Aokiji and Tsunade walked arm in arm through the street, openly acknowledging they were a couple when a puppy’s owner asked.
• The puppy’s owner picked up her little dog, and a passerby struggled to lift his giant dog after it wanted the same treatment.
• Tsunade spread her arms and urged Aokiji to hold her, and he lifted her and spun her around while a passerby cursed them.

Aokiji and Tsunade spent a playful outing teasing each other and choosing affectionate nicknames. They headed hand in hand to a clothing store.

• Aokiji teased Tsunade about becoming more affectionate, then offered to pay for her shopping and drinks.
• Tsunade asked Aokiji to invent a special nickname for her, and he called her Hime, his Little Princess.
• Tsunade called Aokiji White Horse, then joked that she would compensate him with grass because horses ate it.
• Aokiji kissed Tsunade after joking that horses also needed to eat tofu, and Tsunade asked him to keep calling her Hime.
• Aokiji and Tsunade repeated their nicknames to each other before heading to a clothing store hand in hand.

Aokiji and Tsunade shopped for clothes, teased each other, and shared a romantic moment after Aokiji gave her a kimono. Tsunade asked him to marry her when they grew up, and he agreed, while Kakuzu continued gathering information on wealthy people elsewhere.

• Tsunade picked out clothes while Aokiji teased her about her weight and measured height and weight.
• Tsunade tried on a dress with a garter and flirted with Aokiji, who admitted he liked the outfit.
• Aokiji bought Tsunade an expensive kimono, whose gift carried the meaning of a marriage proposal.
• Tsunade asked Aokiji to marry her when they grew up, and Aokiji agreed as they clasped hands.
• Kakuzu recorded information about wealthy people in his notebook and began gathering more intelligence.

Aokiji and Tsunade spent a night together at an inn before she had to return to the village. After seeing a lavish wedding, Aokiji vowed to make enough money to give Tsunade an even bigger one.

• Aokiji woke beside Tsunade, then coaxed her out of bed for breakfast with the promise of a kiss.
• Tsunade lounged in Aokiji's arms, let him feed her snacks, and kissed him when he joked about charging her for the food.
• Aokiji agreed to escort Tsunade out of the city as she prepared to return to the village.
• Aokiji and Tsunade stopped to watch a lavish wedding, and Aokiji mocked the groom's story of marrying a much younger bride.
• Aokiji told Tsunade he wanted to make money and promised to give her a wedding bigger and better than the one they had seen.

Aokiji and Kakuzu devised a scheme to kidnap a wealthy merchant’s wife, manipulate bounty hunters into taking the blame, and increase the ransom profits while limiting suspicion. They recruited two defeated bounty targets as disposable operatives and prepared to begin the kidnapping plan.

• Aokiji proposed targeting Qiu Yue Xiaosan, a wealthy merchant whose previous wives had died under suspicious circumstances, and suggested abducting his current wife for ransom.
• Aokiji explained that they could increase their profits by having a recruited bounty target commit the kidnapping, raising the target’s bounty before collecting it themselves.
• Aokiji advised Kakuzu to use other bounty hunters’ identities and gradually reduce his own bounty-hunting activity to avoid drawing suspicion.
• Aokiji and Kakuzu killed a poorly connected bounty hunter and defeated a bounty target, whom Kakuzu recruited as their first operative.
• Aokiji treated the recruited man and gave him and Kakuzu the false names Lord Ye and Ding Xiu before telling him their work involved kidnapping.
• Aokiji and Kakuzu recruited a second operative, completing their preparations and moving on to the plan’s execution.

Aokiji and Kakuzu made a fortune by kidnapping wealthy merchants, using Kameida and another tool person as cover while paying them a small share. After Kakuzu learned that a huge bounty had been secretly placed on the kidnappers, he and Aokiji lured the two tool people into an ambush and killed them to claim the reward.

• Aokiji kidnapped a wealthy merchant’s wife, raised the ransom after the merchant tried to trick him, and collected 120 million ryo.
• Aokiji paid Kameida and the other tool person 2.5 million ryo each, then persuaded Kakuzu to treat their earnings as company income.
• Aokiji and Kakuzu repeated their kidnapping scheme several times while planning to expose the tool people and profit from the bounty on them.
• At the underground Black Market, Kakuzu learned that wealthy merchants had secretly offered a huge bounty for the kidnappers and told Aokiji about it.
• Aokiji summoned the two tool people, and Kakuzu killed them so they could claim the bounty on their lives.

Aokiji argued to Kakuzu that the Daimyo used the One Country, One Village System to keep ninja divided, and declared that he wanted to eliminate the Daimyo. He left Kakuzu considering the danger of removing their control, then proposed unifying the world.

• Kakuzu waited several days before exchanging the corpses, then collected a 200-million-ryo bounty.
• Aokiji argued that the Daimyo feared ninja power and used funding and wars to weaken them and make them fight each other.
• Aokiji declared that he wanted to restore the one-country system and eliminate the Daimyo.
• Kakuzu warned that removing the Daimyo would free villages to fight over resources and cause even more brutal wars.
• Aokiji asked Kakuzu whether he had considered unifying the world, and Kakuzu stared at him as if he were insane.

Aokiji invited Kakuzu to join his vision of reforming the world, but Kakuzu said he would only consider it if Aokiji awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. After six months of criminal work and growing doubts about their organization, Aokiji returned to the village and reunited with Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade.

• Aokiji told Kakuzu he wanted to create a new world, but Kakuzu said he might join if Aokiji awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
• Over the next six months, Aokiji and Kakuzu committed more crimes, amassed a fortune, and helped expand their organization to around ten members.
• Aokiji proposed that he and Kakuzu stop after kidnapping the Daimyo's son, since the organization was becoming risky and its members were growing dissatisfied over the spoils.
• Aokiji returned to the village with local specialties and ran into Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade.
• Aokiji gave the specialties to Jiraiya and Orochimaru, prompting an argument with Tsunade that ended with him mocking her appearance.

Aokiji reunited with his companions, discussed the Phantom Troupe he secretly led, and returned to the Uchiha Clan. At Elder Itachi’s urging, he entered a clan sparring match and opened with a fire technique.

• Tsunade and Aokiji argued until Orochimaru redirected them to a meal with Jiraiya.
• Orochimaru told Aokiji about the Phantom Troupe, whose kidnappings Aokiji had secretly planned with Kakuzu.
• After dinner, Tsunade left for training, and Aokiji returned to the Uchiha Clan to visit Elder Itachi.
• Elder Itachi sent Aokiji to join the younger generation’s matches, where Aokiji greeted Fugaku and faced Uchiha Tsuchien.
• Aokiji began the spar by launching Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique at Uchiha Tsuchien.

Aokiji used newly developed Ice Release clones to overwhelm Uchiha Tsuchien and revealed his Rasengan, impressing the Uchiha Clan Leader and Elder Itachi. Elder Itachi recognized a planted traitor in the clan and decided to use him to send the Third Hokage a suspicious account of their conversation.

• Uchiha Tsuchien used his Sharingan to evade Aokiji's attacks and attempted to trap him with Genjutsu, but Aokiji closed his eyes in time.
• Aokiji created an Ice Crystal Mirror and summoned six durable, Genjutsu-immune Ice Crystal Clones that drove Uchiha Tsuchien back.
• Aokiji formed a Rasengan while the clones occupied Uchiha Tsuchien, surprising the Uchiha observers with the technique's potential.
• Elder Itachi compared Aokiji's talent to Uchiha Madara's and judged the Rasengan to be a remarkable prototype.
• Elder Itachi identified a man in the clan as the Third Hokage's planted traitor and decided to have him report their conversation.

Aokiji defeated Uchiha Tsuchien in a spar, then met Tsunade for a date in the Forest of Death after arriving late. Tsunade accepted his gift and forgave him, while Elder Itachi prepared to travel to Iwagakure to target the Five-Tails.

• Aokiji defeated Uchiha Tsuchien without using the Sharingan, and Tsuchien accepted his loss while promising to beat him next time.
• Aokiji told Fugaku that he had developed the Rasengan and offered to teach him, but Fugaku refused to call him Big Brother Aokiji.
• Elder Itachi approved of Aokiji's performance and planned to go to Iwagakure to pursue the Five-Tails.
• Tsunade waited for Aokiji in the Forest of Death, knocked out a giant snake, and scolded him for arriving late.
• Aokiji gave Tsunade the Ocean Star gemstone, and she forgave him before worrying that he might have been injured retrieving it.