Chapter Summaries

Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki killed Danzo, but Kakashi Hatake and a group of Konoha jonin cornered them. After Itachi overwhelmed Sasuke Uchiha with Tsukuyomi, Might Guy rescued Sasuke, forcing Itachi and Kisame to retreat.

• Itachi Uchiha sealed away Danzo's arm and was confronted by Kakashi Hatake, who revealed he had waited for reinforcements.
• Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, Might Guy, and Sasuke Uchiha surrounded Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki.
• Itachi Uchiha used Susanoo to repel Asuma Sarutobi and Might Guy, then caught Sasuke Uchiha with Tsukuyomi.
• Might Guy broke through Susanoo's arm and rescued Sasuke Uchiha, while Itachi Uchiha used a black flame to block Guy's attack.
• Itachi Uchiha used Susanoo to grab Kisame Hoshigaki and carried him away as they fled.

After Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki killed Shimura Danzō and escaped, Kakashi Hatake arranged for Danzō’s body to be investigated, exposing a long record of crimes. Kakashi insisted the village could not conceal the findings from the next Hokage, leaving Konoha’s leaders awaiting Jiraiya’s return and a decision on who would lead the village.

• Kakashi Hatake stopped Might Guy from pursuing Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, and Kurenai Yuhi took the traumatized Sasuke Uchiha to the hospital.
• Kakashi Hatake and Asuma Sarutobi examined Shimura Danzō’s corpse and summoned Ibiki Morino to recover its hidden intelligence before the body was disposed of.
• Ibiki Morino’s investigation revealed that Danzō had built Root, manipulated orphans and spies, obstructed aid during the Nine-Tails Rebellion, conspired against Hiruzen Sarutobi, worked with Orochimaru, and forced Itachi Uchiha to massacre the Uchiha Clan.
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu ordered the investigation kept secret, but Kakashi Hatake insisted the next Hokage must learn the truth, especially the intelligence about Itachi Uchiha.
• Utatane Koharu agreed that the village needed a Hokage soon, while she and Mitokado Homura reconsidered their earlier idea of supporting Kakashi Hatake for the position.

Hashirama Senju taught Naruto Uzumaki Wood Release while they searched for Tsunade, who was gambling in Tanzaku Town with Shizune. Orochimaru confronted Tsunade with the resurrected Tobirama Senju and offered to bring back someone she had lost if she joined his research, leaving Tsunade wavering.

• Hashirama Senju taught Naruto Uzumaki the Wood Golem Technique and Wood Dragon Technique while they traveled in search of Tsunade.
• Tsunade won a jackpot at a casino in Tanzaku Town and tried to leave because she feared that winning meant something bad would happen.
• Tobirama Senju blocked the casino entrance, and Tsunade recognized him as her resurrected grandfather.
• Orochimaru appeared and offered to help Tsunade resurrect one of two people she longed to see if she joined his research.
• Tsunade accused Orochimaru of making the resurrected into puppets, but Orochimaru insisted she would pay any price to see her loved ones again.

Orochimaru tried to persuade Tsunade to join him by offering to revive Nawaki or Dan Kato, and Tsunade asked for a day to decide. After Orochimaru left with Tobirama Senju, Tsunade returned to the casino with Shizune.

• Tsunade confronted Orochimaru about the rumors that he had attacked Konoha and killed Hiruzen Sarutobi.
• Orochimaru admitted that he had controlled Tobirama Senju to kill their teacher, provoking Tsunade's fury.
• Orochimaru offered to revive Nawaki or Dan Kato if Tsunade accepted his deal, and Tsunade asked to think it over until tomorrow.
• Tsunade questioned Orochimaru about his ambitions, and he said he sought mastery of every ninjutsu and immortality.
• Orochimaru left with Tobirama Senju, and Tsunade went back to the casino with Shizune to gamble.

Hashirama Senju reunited with Tsunade at a casino in Tanzaku Town and helped lift her spirits after she had been drinking and gambling. After the two lost all their money together, he urged her to return to Konoha and become the Fifth Hokage, and she agreed.

• Tsunade kept winning at the casino while Shizune worried about her earlier negotiations with Orochimaru.
• Hashirama Senju arrived and revealed himself to Tsunade, who broke down in tears at seeing her granduncle again.
• Hashirama Senju and Tsunade bet against each other, but the dealer rolled three sixes and took all their money.
• After losing everything, Hashirama Senju invited Tsunade to return to Konoha and become the Fifth Hokage, and Tsunade agreed.

Tsunade refused to become Hokage and left to consider Orochimaru’s offer, while Jiraiya and Hashirama discussed her loyalties. In a hidden cave, Pain ordered Itachi and Kisame to capture Naruto and assigned Kakuzu and Hidan to help them.

• Tsunade rejected the Hokage position and told Jiraiya that Orochimaru had asked her to assist with his experiments.
• Jiraiya feared Tsunade might accept Orochimaru’s offer to revive Nawaki and Dan Katō, but she left to think it over.
• Hashirama urged Jiraiya to trust Tsunade, and the two realized they had forgotten Naruto.
• Pain questioned Itachi about killing Danzo, and Itachi said he had acted to protect himself and the Akatsuki’s secrets.
• Itachi and Kisame reported that Naruto was powerful and protected by Jiraiya and the revived Hashirama, Tobirama, and Rasa.
• Pain ordered Kakuzu and Hidan to assist Itachi and Kisame in capturing Naruto, while Kisame warned that Tobirama had been exceptionally powerful.

Akatsuki discussed the limits of its plan to capture the Nine-Tails, while Itachi and Kisame debated the risks of targeting Naruto. In Tanzaku Town, Naruto encountered Tsunade and exchanged heated words with her, leaving their confrontation about to escalate.

• Pain said Kakuzu could handle Hashirama Senju, and the Akatsuki members ended their meeting.
• Kisame questioned whether Akatsuki should target the Nine-Tails before finding the other Jinchuriki, but Itachi said capturing only the Nine-Tails would not cause trouble.
• Itachi thought about using Tsukuyomi to communicate with Naruto when they met again.
• Naruto returned to Tanzaku Town after training and found Tsunade and Shizune at an izakaya instead of Jiraiya and Hashirama Senju.
• Tsunade told Naruto to leave after learning he knew Jiraiya, and Naruto warned her not to insult him.
• Tsunade challenged Naruto to witness a Medical Ninja's anger as she leaned toward him across the table.

Naruto Uzumaki challenged Tsunade in Tanzaku Town, and their fight revealed that both were far stronger than the other had expected. As Tsunade led Naruto away to continue the battle, Shizune sought out Jiraiya and Hashirama Senju, who were discussing whether Hashirama’s past choices had allowed later wars to happen.

• Tsunade dismissed Shizune’s concerns and blocked Naruto’s punch with one finger.
• Naruto unleashed a Rasengan Impact Wave and then prepared a Rasengan Punch, forcing Tsunade to take him seriously.
• Tsunade’s punch shattered the ground and nearby buildings, and Naruto gave Shizune money to compensate the owners.
• Naruto and Tsunade left the narrow street to continue their fight elsewhere.
• Hashirama questioned whether he should have followed Madara’s plan to end the Five Great Nations, while Jiraiya said Naruto might find the right path for the present era.
• Shizune told Jiraiya and Hashirama that Tsunade was fighting a yellow-haired boy, and Jiraiya realized it was Naruto.

Naruto defeated Tsunade in a mountain fight, then discovered that her fear of blood had caused her to collapse and fall from a cliff. After healing her wound, he mocked her refusal to become Hokage, leaving Tsunade furious with him.

• Tsunade attacked Naruto, but he overwhelmed her with repeated Rasengan techniques and drove her to the edge of a cliff.
• Naruto’s Rasenshuriken grazed Tsunade’s arm, and the sight of her blood triggered her hemophobia, causing her to fall from the cliff.
• Naruto caught Tsunade with a golden Chakra hand, while Kurama explained that her brother and lover had died in battle and that her lover’s death had led to her fear of blood.
• Naruto wiped away Tsunade’s blood and healed her wound, calming her down.
• Tsunade rejected the offer to become the Fifth Hokage, and Naruto insulted her weakness, provoking her anger.

Naruto Uzumaki defeated Tsunade in a spar and challenged her qualifications to become the Fifth Hokage. After learning Naruto was Minato Namikaze’s son and hearing his ambition to change the ninja world, Tsunade entrusted her old dream to him and rested beside him.

• Tsunade and Naruto exchanged attacks, and Naruto’s Tailed Beast Bomb made clear that he was much stronger than she was.
• Naruto mocked Tsunade’s Hokage prospects, while she questioned his qualifications and challenged his ambition.
• Naruto said he wanted to become Hokage so he could change the ninja world and end the cycle of war.
• Naruto revealed that Minato Namikaze was his father, and Tsunade recalled Minato’s similar dream and urged Naruto to keep pursuing it.
• Tsunade asked Naruto to carry her old dream, and he agreed before she lay down to sleep as his chakra tail wrapped around her.

Tsunade reconsidered becoming Fifth Hokage after trusting Naruto, then proposed that he take the position because of his strength. The chapter ended with a bonus discussion in which the characters argued over whether Naruto should succeed as Hokage.

• Tsunade confronted Jiraiya for asking her to become Fifth Hokage while placing his hopes on Naruto.
• Tsunade said she no longer wanted the Hokage position and suggested Naruto could protect Konoha in her place.
• Tsunade offered to teach Naruto Medical Ninjutsu, but Jiraiya and Hashirama Senju listed the many skills Naruto had already mastered.
• Tsunade proposed making Naruto Fifth Hokage because Konoha needed a powerful leader more than a capable administrator.
• In the bonus discussion, Jiraiya supported Naruto's succession, while Tobirama Senju objected and Hiruzen Sarutobi named Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kakashi as candidates.

Tsunade pushed for Naruto to become Konoha’s Fifth Hokage despite his age, winning support from Hashirama Senju and Jiraiya. In Sunagakure, Gaara forced the village to accept him as Fifth Kazekage and ordered preparations for his succession ceremony.

• Tsunade argued that Naruto could serve as Hokage and dismissed concerns about his age and the Jonin vote.
• Jiraiya agreed to persuade Konoha’s advisor elders to support Naruto, while Tsunade threatened to use force if they refused.
• Gaara asked Sunagakure’s ninjas whether anyone still opposed his becoming Fifth Kazekage after several dissenters were killed.
• Baki defended Gaara’s succession and said Gaara could seek funding from the Land of Wind Daimyo despite concerns about provoking Konoha.
• Gaara ordered the succession ceremony preparations to be made quickly.

Tsunade and Jiraiya sent Naruto to meet Orochimaru disguised as Tsunade and lure him into a confrontation. Naruto revealed himself by attacking Tobirama Senju with a sealing technique, leaving Orochimaru shocked to see him.

• Tsunade approved Naruto's Sexy Jutsu disguise after seeing him transform into her, and Shizune prepared her clothes for him.
• Tsunade and Jiraiya planned for Naruto to meet Orochimaru, turn hostile if his disguise was questioned, and attack once Tobirama appeared.
• Naruto, disguised as Tsunade, met Orochimaru and asked to speak with Tobirama before agreeing to Orochimaru's proposal.
• Orochimaru refused to let Tsunade speak with Tobirama and questioned her about their past in the Land of Earth.
• Naruto attacked Tobirama during the confrontation and used Sealing Art: Devour to drain his chakra, prompting Orochimaru to recognize him.

Naruto Uzumaki defeated Manda after Orochimaru summoned the giant snake and fled, while Tobirama Senju regained his freedom and discussed Orochimaru’s techniques with Naruto. Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki requested more Akatsuki support, and Pain sent Konan to assist them while ordering a retreat if the attack went badly.

• Naruto Uzumaki threw Tobirama Senju aside after draining the cursed seal chakra and confronted Orochimaru, who summoned Manda before escaping.
• Naruto Uzumaki used Wood Release to restrain Manda and killed it with a Tailed Beast Bomb.
• Tobirama Senju said he could not locate Orochimaru because the rogue ninja’s soul consciousness appeared in multiple places, then reunited with Hashirama Senju in Tanzaku Town.
• Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki asked Pain for more support because Konoha’s forces made capturing the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki difficult.
• Pain sent Konan to join Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki and told her to have them retreat if the fight went badly.

Tsunade, Tobirama Senju, and their companions traveled back toward Konoha while Akatsuki gathered reinforcements and assigned targets for an attack. Konan took responsibility for facing Jiraiya as the organization prepared to test itself against the great ninja villages.

• Tobirama Senju discovered the scale of Tsunade's gambling debts, and Hashirama Senju admitted he had owed Madara money.
• Konan sat by a stream and remembered her youth before Hidan's crude remark provoked her into pinning him to a tree with paper senbon.
• Kisame Hoshigaki fought with Hidan and Kakuzu until Itachi Uchiha intervened and Konan reminded them that Akatsuki's rules forbade attacking comrades.
• Konan assigned Kakuzu to Hashirama Senju, Kisame to Tobirama Senju, Hidan to Tsunade and Shizune, and Itachi to Naruto Uzumaki.
• Itachi Uchiha asked whether Konan had chosen to face Jiraiya herself, and Konan said she would handle him.

Tsunade declined Jiraiya’s offer of a loan and took money from Naruto before their group was ambushed by Akatsuki members. Tobirama wounded Kisame and Tsunade knocked Hidan away, while Itachi appeared before Naruto, Tsunade, and Shizune.

• Tsunade returned Jiraiya’s bankbook and said she would repay her debts herself, then took the largest bill from Naruto’s wallet.
• Naruto recognized Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki among five attackers and suspected Danzo had sent them.
• Tobirama used Flying Thunder God Slash to wound Kisame and mark him with the technique.
• Tsunade punched Hidan away when he charged at her.
• Itachi appeared before Tsunade, Shizune, and Naruto, and they recognized him.

Hashirama Senju defeated Kakuzu while Jiraiya restrained Konan and questioned her about the Akatsuki Organization. Konan summoned the orange-haired leader to the battlefield, but Naruto Uzumaki swiftly struck him down before turning his attention back to Itachi Uchiha.

• Kakuzu attacked Hashirama Senju, who defeated him with Wood Release after recalling their encounter decades earlier.
• Tsunade kept Hidan from obtaining her blood, while Jiraiya restrained Konan and questioned her about Yahiko and Nagato.
• Konan declared that she carried out the will of God, then ordered the Akatsuki Organization to retreat and used Summoning Jutsu.
• The orange-haired leader appeared and used Shinra Tensei to force back Jiraiya and other Konoha shinobi.
• Naruto Uzumaki used a golden Chakra hand to smash the leader into the ground, then remained wary of Itachi Uchiha.

Naruto Uzumaki repelled Pain and fought Akatsuki while Itachi Uchiha sought a chance to use Tsukuyomi. With the Nine-Tails’ advice, Naruto deliberately let Itachi activate the technique, leaving the fight poised to reveal its effects.

• Pain used Banshō Ten'in to pull Naruto toward him, but Naruto knocked aside his Black Receiver with the Spiral Dance Umbrella and struck him.
• Pain used Shinra Tensei, but Naruto resisted the repulsive force with nine chakra tails and sent Pain flying.
• Konan destroyed Naruto’s chakra hand with Explosive Tags, and Itachi’s Susanoo protected her from another attack.
• Itachi asked for a final attempt while Akatsuki fought Konoha’s ninja; Naruto’s attacks sent Hidan flying and then cut him in two with a Rasenshuriken.
• The Nine-Tails advised Naruto to let Itachi use Tsukuyomi so Sasuke could learn about the technique, and Itachi activated it.

In Tsukuyomi Space, Itachi told Naruto and Kurama that he had killed Danzō and used Tsukuyomi on Sasuke, then asked how Sasuke could recover. Kurama promised to help Sasuke and tasked Itachi with recruiting Orochimaru to find a way to undo the Reaper Death Seal and recover Kurama’s other half.

• Itachi told Naruto and Kurama that he had killed Danzō after the Third Hokage died and that Naruto was being recommended as Konoha’s Fifth Hokage.
• Itachi revealed that he had used Tsukuyomi on Sasuke and asked Naruto to tell him how to break the genjutsu, but Naruto said Sasuke would overcome it himself.
• Kurama said it would help Sasuke recover after Itachi left Tsukuyomi Space.
• Kurama asked Itachi to bring Orochimaru to their side, even if he had to use his crow, and told him to have Orochimaru investigate the Reaper Death Seal and the Shinigami Mask.

Itachi Uchiha's failed attempt to use Tsukuyomi on Naruto Uzumaki ended the Akatsuki Organization's attack, and its members retreated from Konoha. Tsunade diagnosed Naruto's recurring headaches as brain injuries caused by his unusually powerful mental energy, while Tobirama Senju proposed returning to Konoha to investigate the forbidden technique chamber.

• Itachi Uchiha confirmed that Tsukuyomi had failed, and Tobirama Senju attacked him and Kisame Hoshigaki.
• Itachi Uchiha trapped Tobirama Senju with Amaterasu and escaped with Kisame Hoshigaki, while Kakuzu rescued Hidan and Pain and Konan also retreated.
• Tsunade stopped Jiraiya from pursuing the Akatsuki Organization and examined Naruto Uzumaki's persistent headaches.
• Tsunade explained that Naruto's powerful mental energy was tearing his brain, and that his self-healing ability was keeping him alive.
• Tobirama Senju said Naruto's physical energy might grow strong enough to withstand his mental energy and urged the group to return to Konoha.