Chapter Summaries

Naruto Uzumaki traps and defeats the Mysterious Masked Man, forcing him to flee with Tobi's help. Naruto recognizes the man as Obito Uchiha and turns his attention to dealing with Seven-Tails Chomei.

• Naruto Uzumaki uses a Shadow Clone and Tailed Beast Bombs to trap the Mysterious Masked Man and break his Kamui strategy.
• Naruto bombards the Mysterious Masked Man with ninjutsu and chakra-draining attacks, while the man's mask shatters and his injuries mount.
• The Mysterious Masked Man calls for Tobi, who heals him, and escapes after Naruto jokingly assigns him a mission to deal with the Daimyo of the Land of Waterfalls.
• Naruto recognizes the fleeing man as Obito Uchiha and reflects on how he became a threat to the ninja world.
• The Nine-Tails warns Naruto that he could become more terrifying than Obito if he fell into darkness, then reminds him to focus on Seven-Tails Chomei.

Naruto Uzumaki took most of Seven-Tails Chōmei's chakra from Fū, then told Takigakure that Akatsuki would destroy the village and ordered its civilians and leadership to relocate or join Konoha. The villagers resisted Konoha's takeover, but Naruto and Sasuke Uchiha insisted they had no choice.

• Fū woke as Naruto Uzumaki reached for her, escaped his Wood Release vines, and tried to fly back to Takigakure.
• Naruto restrained Fū with Eight Gates Lock and used Sealing Art: Devour to take most of Seven-Tails Chōmei's chakra, leaving a small portion inside her.
• Fū questioned Naruto's actions and said he had contradicted her belief that Konoha ninja helped their friends and did not bully the weak.
• Naruto handed the weakened Fū to Tenten and warned Takigakure's villagers that Akatsuki had slaughtered the village's ninja and would return with stronger enemies.
• Naruto announced that Konoha would relocate Takigakure's civilians and absorb its leadership and ninja, prompting the villagers to argue over whether to stay or accept Konoha's plan.
• Sasuke silenced the crowd and asked whether they had any choice, while Naruto maintained that Konoha had to act for everyone's safety.

Takigakure fell, and its people were relocated while Naruto Uzumaki defended his decision to annex the village. He left Kakashi Hatake to manage the aftermath, with Sasuke Uchiha assigned to assist, and dismissed Team Guy from the Hokage Guard Platoon.

• Takigakure's villagers departed for new homes, and Fū grieved as Naruto Uzumaki and Tenten tried to comfort her.
• Naruto Uzumaki told Team Guy he had acted to protect Konoha and relieved Rock Lee, Neji Hyuga, and Tenten of their guard duties until they became Jonin.
• Kakashi Hatake arrived with the ANBU, complained about the trouble Naruto had caused, and ordered Sasuke Uchiha to stay and help investigate Takigakure.
• Kakashi Hatake warned Naruto Uzumaki that the Konoha Elders might object to the annexation and that Konoha could lose its remaining allies.
• Naruto Uzumaki brushed off Kakashi Hatake's warning and said the elders would soon realize that only he could serve as Hokage.

Naruto Uzumaki returned to Konoha and learned that Kirigakure was seeking peace and aid while Zabuza Momochi’s rebellion plunged the Land of Water into civil war. Tsunade revealed that Haku had arrived as Zabuza’s envoy, while Tobirama Senju and Hashirama Senju had gone to Kirigakure to gather intelligence.

• Naruto Uzumaki surprised Tsunade in her office and admitted he had overheard advisers criticize his actions as Hokage.
• Tsunade told Naruto Uzumaki that Kirigakure wanted aid and a peace alliance with Konoha, but had made demanding proposals.
• Tsunade explained that Zabuza Momochi had started a civil war in the Land of Water after the new Daimyo was killed.
• Naruto Uzumaki learned that Haku was the envoy Zabuza Momochi had sent to Konoha.
• Tsunade revealed that Tobirama Senju and Hashirama Senju had gone to Kirigakure to gather intelligence.

Naruto arranged duties for the people brought back from Takigakure, then handled Konoha’s paperwork while Tsunade rested. He reunited with Sakura and invited his friends to gather for dinner, but the approaching Summer Festival promised more work for the village’s ninja.

• Naruto told Tsunade that Fū would be placed near Gaara and Kabuto Yakushi at Konoha Orphanage, while Orochimaru remained missing.
• Tsunade stopped Naruto from going to find Jiraiya and made him learn to review official documents; after seeing his skill, she fell asleep and left the paperwork to him.
• Sakura Haruno and Karin arrived at the Hokage’s Office, and Naruto greeted Sakura before seeing other friends come in with mission reports.
• Sakura invited Naruto to dinner with their friends, and Naruto suggested inviting Tenten, Neji, and Fū after dismissing the guard squads.
• Sakura noted that the coming Summer Festival would be difficult to enjoy amid constant missions, and Naruto promised it would be lively while acknowledging that the ninja would have to maintain order.

Naruto hosted a reunion at a barbecue restaurant and announced that Konoha’s expanded Summer Festival would require its ninja to work, despite their hopes for a break. The gathering ended with Shikamaru warning that Konoha’s growing territory would keep it short of manpower.

• Naruto noticed that Gaara seemed more comfortable in Konoha, while Shikamaru explained that the younger ninja were making him feel welcome.
• Fū told Naruto that Shibuki felt ashamed and no longer wanted to be a ninja or lead Takigakure.
• Naruto said the Summer Festival would be larger than usual, then revealed that Konoha’s ninja would have to work overtime and that leave would generally be denied.
• Hinata asked Naruto to spend the festival with her, and he suggested that they patrol together because Team Eight was assigned reconnaissance duty.
• Shikamaru warned Naruto that annexing more villages would leave Konoha perpetually short on manpower.

Naruto discussed Konoha's ability to support other villages with Shikamaru, then met Torune and a group of former Root trainees seeking a place in the village. He appointed them to a new Hokage Guard Platoon, though Shino questioned how long it would last.

• Naruto and Shikamaru discussed Konoha's limited ability to absorb or defend other ninja villages, and Shikamaru postponed sharing his ideas until the next day.
• Naruto shared grilled meat and pork belly with Hinata before Shino told him someone had a report.
• Shino led Naruto to a forest, where Torune and a group of former Root trainees asked the Hokage to decide their future.
• Naruto ordered the trainees to report to the Hokage Office Building the next morning and assigned them to a new Hokage Guard Platoon.
• Shino questioned the assignment's reliability, noting that Naruto had already dismissed two Hokage Guard Platoons.

Naruto learned that Tobirama Senju had taken command of Danzo’s former Root operatives and was secretly manipulating the war in the Land of Water. Tobirama planned to capture the Six-Tails Jinchuriki and use Konoha’s mediation to turn the Land of Water against Kirigakure, leaving Naruto to oversee the scheme.

• Naruto reassured the former Root youths and learned from Torune Aburame that they served a hidden leader addressed as the Second Hokage.
• In the Land of Water, Tobirama Senju ordered his forces to let the Hidden Mist Ninja and Rogue Ninja wear each other down while Root sabotaged and supplied both sides.
• When Utakata transformed into the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Tobirama ordered a squad to lure him away so Hashirama Senju could capture him.
• Tobirama told Yamanaka Fu that Naruto would be tasked with mediating the war while Konoha worked to make the Land of Water reject Kirigakure.

Tobirama Senju’s plan led Hashirama Senju to capture Utakata and the Six-Tails, Saiken, in the Land of Water. Meanwhile, Tsunade prepared to summon Naruto to discuss mediation, unaware that he was already planning Konoha’s next move with Shikamaru.

• Tobirama Senju lured Utakata away from the rogue ninja forces with Root ninja posing as his attackers.
• Hashirama Senju confronted Utakata and used Wood Release and Sage Art: Gate of the Great God to pin him down.
• A white-haired man ordered Fū to summon the Fifth Hokage to the Land of Water after the Six-Tails Jinchuriki was captured.
• Tsunade struck Yamato and ordered him to bring Naruto to the Hokage Residence for an important meeting.
• Naruto and Shikamaru decided Team Ten should handle the situation, with Asuma sent to the Land of Fire’s Twelve Guardian Ninja.

Naruto Uzumaki decided to intervene in the war between Kirigakure and Rogue Ninja forces, partly to protect the Six-Tails Jinchuriki from Akatsuki. He planned to travel to the Land of Water while arranging for Orochimaru to revive Minato Namikaze, and Kabuto Yakushi sent Orochimaru the relevant intelligence.

• Naruto Uzumaki learned that Tobirama Senju wanted Konoha to mediate the war in the Land of Water, and Tsunade explained Tobirama's meddling nature and the strategic benefits of intervention.
• Naruto ordered Yamato to gather the guard ninja and prepare to leave for the Land of Water the next morning, saying Konoha would keep the Six-Tails Jinchuriki safe from Akatsuki.
• Naruto told Kushina Uzumaki that he expected to see Minato Namikaze again and planned for Orochimaru to undo the Reaper Death Seal and reincarnate him.
• Kabuto Yakushi received a white snake at the Konoha Orphanage and sent Orochimaru a scroll about reincarnating Minato with the Impure World Reincarnation.

Naruto Uzumaki traveled to Kirigakure to propose peace talks, but Mei Terumi rejected Konoha’s mediation and insisted the Land of Water’s affairs be settled internally. Naruto responded with a defiant warning, leaving tensions high as a Hidden Mist ninja prepared to confront him.

• Zabuza Momochi rejected Naruto Uzumaki’s offer of mediation, while Haku urged him to consider it after the Rogue Ninja forces suffered setbacks without Utakata.
• Mei Terumi refused to make peace with Zabuza, arguing that negotiating with Rogue Ninja could encourage future rebellions, but she considered using Naruto’s visit to secure wartime supplies.
• Mei Terumi met Naruto Uzumaki after being appointed the Fifth Mizukage, and she told him Kirigakure would resolve the Land of Water’s affairs itself.
• Naruto Uzumaki said he had never considered that anyone could refuse something he wanted to do, startling Yamato and provoking a Hidden Mist ninja to prepare to curse at him.

Naruto Uzumaki provoked Mei Terumi during his visit to Kirigakure, then demonstrated his power and announced plans to meet Zabuza Momochi and Mei again. Mei agreed to meet him at the Land of Water Daimyo Palace in one week, wary of his intentions.

• Mei Terumi objected to Naruto Uzumaki's remarks about Kirigakure, and Torune Aburame angered the Hidden Mist ninjas by criticizing their funeral customs.
• Mei Terumi demanded that Naruto Uzumaki apologize and leave, and he agreed before asking whether she was rejecting his offer to mediate the war with the Rogue Ninjas.
• Yamato reminded Naruto Uzumaki that the Second Hokage had sent them only to go through the motions, so Naruto said he would transfer Yamato back to ANBU after the mission.
• Naruto Uzumaki unleashed the Great Spiraling Ring into a distant lake as a warning and said he would meet Zabuza Momochi before meeting Mei Terumi at the Daimyo Palace in one week.
• Mei Terumi agreed to attend the meeting and vowed to demand a satisfactory answer from Naruto Uzumaki.

Mei Terumi considered seeking Kumogakure's support or sacrificing herself to stop Naruto Uzumaki from escalating the conflict with Kirigakure. Meanwhile, Tobirama Senju revealed his plan to manipulate the Land of Water's conflict, and Naruto's approaching escort made Yamanaka Fu realize former Root members had prospered after leaving Danzo.

• Mei Terumi ordered Chojuro to prepare an alliance with Kumogakure and resolved to kill Zabuza Momochi herself if negotiations with Naruto failed.
• Naruto Uzumaki told Yamato that Konoha and Kirigakure had never signed a peace treaty, then headed to meet Tobirama Senju and Zabuza Momochi.
• Tobirama Senju told the imprisoned Utakata that Konoha had prolonged Zabuza's rebellion by supplying it and fabricated a claim that Konoha had come to avenge the Kaguya Clan.
• Yamanaka Fu questioned Tobirama's story, but Tobirama dismissed the truth as irrelevant because the Kaguya Clan was gone.
• Yamanaka Fu recognized Naruto's escort as former Root members and wondered whether they had been held back by Danzo.

Naruto Uzumaki met with Tobirama Senju, who outlined a plan to exploit the war in the Land of Water and blame the Akatsuki Organization for provoking it. Naruto then went to meet Zabuza Momochi, joking that his guards were there to stop him from destroying the country.

• Naruto Uzumaki arrived at the secret base and met Tobirama Senju, who praised the former Root ninjas serving as guards.
• Naruto took the Six-Tails Saiken's chakra from Utakata, adding it to the tailed-beast chakra he already possessed.
• Tobirama proposed that Konoha mediate the war in the Land of Water and use the civilians' desperation as an opportunity to occupy the country.
• Naruto suggested leaking information about Utakata to draw the Akatsuki Organization to the Land of Water and make them take the blame for the conflict.
• Naruto met Zabuza Momochi outside the rebel army's main camp and quipped that his guards were there to prevent him from destroying the Land of Water.

Naruto Uzumaki tried to mediate the civil war in the Land of Water, giving Zabuza’s forces and Kirigakure one week to consider peace. When both sides resumed fighting, Naruto threatened them with a powerful chakra sphere, and Haku withdrew the rogue ninja force from the battlefield.

• Haku told Naruto that Zabuza had not decided whether to accept mediation but would attend the Daimyo’s meeting in one week.
• Naruto announced he would spend the week working to secure a peace agreement and spread news of his mediation among the civilians.
• Naruto appeared on battlefields and asked the Hidden Mist and rogue ninja forces to stop fighting, but they ignored him and clashed again.
• Naruto formed a terrifying black chakra sphere and warned that he would take measures to stop the war.
• Chojuro confronted Naruto over the threat, but Haku led the rogue ninja force away, and Chojuro withdrew with his Hidden Mist subordinates.

Naruto Uzumaki and Tobirama Senju used the Land of Water Daimyo’s fear of the civil war to push for Konoha’s protection, but Tobirama had the Daimyo Palace massacred and blamed Kirigakure. The Daimyo’s wife appealed to Naruto, leaving Mei Terumi trapped between accepting Konoha’s influence and risking suspicion.

• The Land of Water Daimyo asked Naruto whether Konoha would protect him, and Naruto described how Konoha had destroyed Sunagakure after it pressured the Wind Daimyo.
• Naruto proposed that the Land of Water abolish Kirigakure, but the Daimyo refused and instead agreed to Konoha mediating the civil war and discussing commissions.
• After the Daimyo publicly supported Naruto’s mediation, Root ninja attacked the Daimyo Palace under Tobirama’s orders, while Yamanaka Fu prepared to blame Kirigakure’s Mizukage.
• The Daimyo’s wife and son survived and accused Kirigakure ANBU of the assassination when they sought Naruto’s protection.
• Mei Terumi denied responsibility, but Naruto said the Daimyo had planned to give Konoha the Daimyo Palace commissions, putting Mei in a bind over Kirigakure’s livelihood and the accusation.

Naruto Uzumaki pressured Mei Terumi to accept mediation in the Land of Water’s civil war, warning that he would use force if the conflict dragged on. At the first talks between Kirigakure and Zabuza Momochi, Mei refused to let a Rogue Ninja become Mizukage, and the meeting ended with her insisting Kirigakure would not compromise with a traitor.

• Naruto presented dubious evidence linking Kirigakure to the Daimyo’s assassination and told Mei Terumi he would stay until the war ended.
• Naruto threatened to use destructive ninjutsu to end the civil war, and Mei agreed to consider his mediation proposal in two days.
• Naruto hosted talks between Mei Terumi and Zabuza Momochi, who demanded that the war continue until he became Mizukage.
• Mei rejected Zabuza’s demand and declared that Kirigakure would never allow a Rogue Ninja to become Mizukage.
• Naruto argued that Kirigakure had too few capable successors to treat Rogue Ninja as harshly as Konoha did, and Mei insisted Kirigakure would never compromise with a traitor.

Naruto Uzumaki failed to reconcile Mei Terumi and Zabuza Momochi, so he agreed to stop interfering in Kirigakure’s civil war while keeping ninja in the Land of Water to protect civilians and investigate Akatsuki. He blamed Akatsuki for Utakata’s disappearance and warned that the organization sought to seize the Tailed Beasts and rule the shinobi world.

• Mei Terumi and Zabuza Momochi argued over responsibility for the rebellion and refused to accept each other’s terms.
• Mei Terumi and Haku separately offered Konoha a close alliance if their respective sides won the civil war.
• Naruto Uzumaki said he would no longer mediate the conflict but would send ninja to protect civilians and Fire Country merchants.
• Naruto Uzumaki explained that he was investigating Akatsuki and suspected it had taken Utakata.
• Naruto Uzumaki said Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha belonged to Akatsuki and accused the organization of seeking the Tailed Beasts to rule the shinobi world.
• Zabuza Momochi asked whether Akatsuki had caused Utakata’s disappearance.

Naruto Uzumaki and Tobirama Senju worked to turn civilians against Kirigakure and the rogue ninja forces as the Land of Water’s civil war drove people from their homes. The young Daimyo abolished Kirigakure and made the country a Konoha protectorate, setting Naruto and Tobirama to end the conflict by force.

• As the civil war dragged on, Kirigakure and rogue ninja forces plundered civilians, creating a growing wave of refugees.
• After rescuing refugees, Tobirama Senju ordered Yamanaka Fu to spread rumors while Naruto Uzumaki continued protecting civilians.
• Public sentiment shifted toward making Konoha the Land of Water’s protector ninja village.
• The seven-year-old Daimyo abolished Kirigakure, stripped Mei Terumi of her position, and asked Naruto Uzumaki to protect him and his mother.
• Naruto Uzumaki agreed, and he and Tobirama Senju split up to defeat Kirigakure and the rogue ninja forces.

Mei Terumi ordered Kirigakure to resist Konoha’s takeover of the Land of Water, but Naruto Uzumaki attacked the village and reached the Mizukage’s Office before she could prepare. The chapter ended with Naruto politely asking whether he had found the right office.

• Mei Terumi learned that the Land of Water’s Daimyo had abolished Kirigakure and ordered Hidden Mist Ninja expelled or arrested as Konoha took over the country’s defense.
• Mei Terumi ordered reconnaissance teams to search for Konoha’s forces, prepared ANBU teams to hunt Naruto Uzumaki at the Daimyo’s residence, and told Chojuro to seek Kumogakure’s support.
• A Hidden Mist Anbu reported that Naruto Uzumaki was attacking Kirigakure, prompting Mei Terumi to order village defenses, evacuations, and the Sealing Squad.
• Naruto Uzumaki smashed through Kirigakure and appeared outside the Mizukage’s Office, where he knocked on the window and asked if it was the right place.