Recaps

Madara Uchiha mourned Yanbai as the shinobi villages prepared for the possibility of war, while Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju discussed Konoha’s future and Tobirama’s refusal to marry. The chapter ended with Hashirama wondering whether Tobirama’s strange view of tears had rubbed off on him.

• Madara Uchiha brought Yanbai's coffin outside in the snow as Black Zetsu reported that the villages were expanding their forces amid uncertainty over Hashirama Senju’s health and funding.
• Madara Uchiha dismissed the villages’ hopes of profiting from Hashirama Senju’s death and questioned whether true peace existed.
• Hashirama Senju held six-month-old Tsunade while Tobirama Senju reported on Konoha’s situation and said he planned to hand over his position in a year.
• Hashirama Senju urged Tobirama Senju to think about starting a family, but Tobirama said he considered his brothers’ children and grandchildren his own.
• Tobirama Senju explained that Yanbai’s teachings had left him thinking of tears as having the same composition as urine, making him avoid women who cried.
• Hashirama Senju silently reconsidered how he viewed tears after remembering that Tsunade had just cried.

As Hashirama Senju’s health declined, he reconciled with Madara Uchiha and spent his remaining days gambling with Madara and little Tsunade. After Tsunade rolled a winning throw, Hashirama returned to Mito and died, and Konoha gathered to mourn him.

• After the villages copied Konoha’s reforms, Hashirama Senju retired and began visiting Madara Uchiha to make peace and gamble with little Tsunade.
• Madara Uchiha warned Hashirama that Tsunade’s winning streak foretold his death, but Hashirama kept gambling with her.
• When Tobirama Senju announced that Mito was pregnant again, Madara urged Hashirama to return to her, and Tobirama teleported Hashirama and Tsunade away.
• Madara Uchiha promised Tobirama Senju he would attend Hashirama’s funeral, while vowing to finish everything before his own death.
• Hashirama Senju died, Konoha mourned him, and Tobirama presided over the funeral as Itama became leader of the Senju Clan.

After Hashirama Senju's funeral, Madara Uchiha discovered that Tobirama Senju had secretly taken Yanbai's coffin and withdrew his trust in him. Months later, war spread across the Shinobi World, and Tobirama reported that Kumogakure had declared war on Konoha.

• Madara Uchiha confronted Tobirama Senju about stealing Yanbai's coffin and refused to reveal the secret of resurrection.
• Tobirama Senju returned Yanbai's coffin to the Princess Mausoleum, but Madara Uchiha stopped speaking to him.
• Several months after Hashirama Senju's death, fighting broke out between Kirigakure and Iwagakure, with the Land of Fire between them.
• Tobirama Senju appeared at the Princess Mausoleum and told Madara Uchiha that Kumogakure had declared war on Konoha.

Konoha’s leaders prepared for Kumogakure’s declared war by using the Land of Fire’s economic reach and military forces to pressure the Land of Lightning and secure the borders. Tobirama Senju issued the first phase of the war plan, while privately hoping the conflict would test how much Konoha had changed.

• Konoha’s clan leaders and officials gathered in a genjutsu conference room as Uchiha Izuna explained the routes enemy villages would need to take to reach the Land of Fire.
• The attendees discussed Kumogakure’s declaration of war and concluded that it still viewed the conflict through the old patron-and-clan model.
• Tobirama Senju ordered Konoha to halt exports to nobles in the Land of Lightning, restrict border crossings, and deploy elite shinobi to assist the border troops.
• Tobirama Senju suspended foreign nobles’ access to the Hot Springs Bathhouse and announced further measures to apply economic pressure while preparing Konoha’s forces.
• Tobirama Senju privately hoped war would break out so Konoha could test the progress it had made over the past decade.

Madara Uchiha reviewed intelligence as the Land of Fire prepared for war and neighboring nations made moves against Konoha. He realized that the Second Raikage’s request for an alliance was likely a scheme to kill Tobirama Senju.

• The Land of Fire’s daimyo learned that foreign nations had stockpiled its goods and rallied the populace to prepare for war.
• Madara Uchiha read reports that Sunagakure was advancing through the Land of Rivers, whose daimyo ceded territory to the Land of Fire in exchange for protection.
• Konoha dispatched Uchiha Izuna against Sunagakure, while Madara doubted he had any role left to play and wondered how he could die safely.
• Madara learned that Iwagakure and Kirigakure had stopped fighting after their Second Kage killed each other, and that Kinkaku and Ginkaku led Kumogakure’s pro-war faction.
• Madara read that the Second Raikage had asked Tobirama Senju for an alliance and concluded that the Raikage intended to lure Tobirama to his death.

Tobirama Senju explained to Madara Uchiha why Konoha would reject the Raikage’s alliance and exploit the war to expand the Land of Fire. Madara realized that this Tobirama and the current Konoha were far different from the fate he had feared, as Tobirama laid out plans to use tailed beasts and other forces against their enemies.

• Tobirama Senju arrived at the Princess Mausoleum, and Madara Uchiha asked what he intended to do about the Raikage’s proposal.
• Tobirama Senju said the Land of Fire would reject the alliance and described plans to take territory from small nations while claiming to act in self-defense.
• Tobirama Senju explained that the nine tailed beasts were ready to support Konoha’s borders and that Izuna had gone to the Kumogakure Battlefield with Nine-Tails and Shukaku.
• Tobirama Senju said he might use Impure World Reincarnation to summon the dead for suicide attacks, aiming to end the war while saving resources and making their enemies pay.

After Tobirama Senju left, Madara Uchiha worried that fate would still lead Tobirama to danger in Kumogakure. Meanwhile, Tsunade grieved for her great-grandfather at the Memorial Stone and left believing he might still be alive, unaware that someone watched her.

• Madara Uchiha suspected Tobirama Senju would still travel to Kumogakure and asked Black Zetsu to keep watch over him.
• Tsunade ran away to the Memorial Stone Cemetery, got lost in the rain, and sheltered among the roses and Thorns.
• Tsunade remembered her great-grandfather’s death and funeral, including how she had torn flowers from his coffin while insisting he was not dead.
• Tsunade decided to grow up and search for her missing grandpa, then picked up a wild fruit and walked away as a dark figure watched her.

Madara told Tobirama that Tsunade’s disappearance could be tied to Kumogakure and prepared to help recover her, even at the cost of his own life. Before dawn, Tobirama learned that Kumogakure had indeed captured Tsunade.

• Tobirama searched for the missing Tsunade and asked Madara whether she had come to the Princess Mausoleum.
• Madara admitted Tsunade had reached the Memorial Stone but had left without finding the mausoleum entrance.
• Madara warned Tobirama that Tsunade might have been taken by Kumogakure and explained how fate could push events toward their original course.
• Madara told Tobirama to prepare for negotiations and offered to accompany him, leaving some of his hair behind in case he died.
• Madara revealed he intended to use a powerful technique against Kumogakure and told Tobirama he could summon him with the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu afterward.
• Before dawn, Tobirama received confirmation that Tsunade was in Kumogakure’s hands.

Madara Uchiha and Tobirama Senju traveled toward Kumogakure, where Tobirama went to retrieve Tsunade after Black Zetsu had delivered her to the Second Raikage. Madara used Flower of Thorns to kill those in their path, and the chapter ended as he activated Limbo: Border Jail at Kumogakure.

• Black Zetsu secretly took Tsunade to Kumogakure, told the Second Raikage who she was, and returned to Madara Uchiha.
• Madara Uchiha used Flower of Thorns on hidden figures in a snowy forest, killing them and restoring Tobirama Senju's depleted chakra.
• Tobirama Senju used Flying Thunder God to travel with Madara toward Kumogakure, where each use of Flower of Thorns replenished his chakra.
• Tobirama Senju and Madara Uchiha appeared before the Second Raikage, and Tobirama said he had come to collect Tsunade.
• Madara Uchiha bound the Kumogakure shinobi with thorns and drained their life force, then activated Limbo: Border Jail.

Madara Uchiha rescued Tsunade from the Second Raikage and killed him in Kumogakure. As Kumogakure shinobi converged, Madara prepared to eliminate anyone in his way.

• Madara Uchiha seized the Second Raikage and took Tsunade from him, then tossed her to Tobirama Senju, who caught her and fled using Flying Thunder God.
• Madara Uchiha drained the Second Raikage with Wood Release: Flower of Thorns and snapped his neck, killing him.
• An unidentified weapon struck Madara Uchiha's initial Susanoo, but it failed to break through.
• Two horned men and other Kumogakure shinobi arrived and froze at the sight of the Second Raikage's corpse.
• Madara Uchiha, irritated and growing stronger, prepared to kill the Kumogakure shinobi who stood in his way.

Tobirama Senju used Yanbai's coffin to defeat the shinobi ambushing him as he fled toward the Land of Fire with Tsunade. At the border, he saw an enormous sphere falling from the sky and wondered if it was the technique Madara had mentioned.

• Tobirama Senju and Tsunade arrived at an ambush in the Land of Iron, where Kumogakure shinobi attacked him with heat and explosions.
• Tobirama Senju summoned Yanbai's coffin, whose thorned vines killed the attackers while he protected Tsunade and conserved his chakra.
• Tobirama Senju escaped further ambushes by shinobi from other villages, summoning the coffin four times on his way back.
• Tobirama Senju reached the Land of Fire's border and saw a vast sphere falling from the sky, which he suspected was Madara's technique.

Madara Uchiha used Tengai Shinsei to devastate Kumogakure, but his inherited healing kept him alive despite his injuries. He decided that one meteor was not enough and prepared to summon another, this time targeting the other Three Great Shinobi Villages.

• Kinkaku and Ginkaku urged the Kumogakure shinobi to attack Madara Uchiha as the meteor drew near.
• Madara Uchiha’s Tengai Shinsei struck Kumogakure, crushing countless shinobi and sending destructive shock waves across the Land of Lightning.
• Shinobi outside the village fled as the tremors spread, while Madara Uchiha’s body began healing from the impact.
• Madara Uchiha realized his healing was consuming the life force and chakra absorbed by the Flower of Thorns, keeping him alive after the catastrophe.
• Madara Uchiha formed hand signs and began summoning Susanoo, planning to bring another meteor down on the other Three Great Shinobi Villages.

Madara Uchiha devastated Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and the Land of Wind with meteors and Susanoo, then survived the destruction with Black Zetsu’s help. After Tobirama Senju waited beside Yanbai’s coffin, its thorns released him and Yanbai awakened at dawn.

• Madara Uchiha destroyed Iwagakure and left Ōnoki and the surviving Iwa shinobi terrified.
• Madara Uchiha ravaged Kirigakure and then unleashed a meteor shower in the Land of Wind, killing the Kazekage who stood at its center.
• Black Zetsu approached the injured Madara Uchiha and promised to help him seize an opportunity.
• Tobirama Senju returned Tsunade safely to the Senju Clan’s clan grounds, then waited beside Yanbai’s coffin in the Hokage Office.
• At dawn, the thorns released Yanbai’s coffin, and Tobirama Senju welcomed him back.

Yanbai returned to the Princess Mausoleum after awakening and remained silent toward Tobirama Senju, who tried to reconcile with him. Yanbai finally revealed that Itama had killed Kawarama, leaving Tobirama stunned and confronting his past failure to question Itama’s actions.

• Tobirama Senju visited Yanbai with a gift of new clothes and apologized for upsetting him, but Yanbai stayed silent.
• Yanbai spoke for the first time and asked about Kawarama, prompting Tobirama to explain that he had believed Kawarama died of an illness.
• Yanbai told Tobirama that Itama had killed Kawarama by conspiring with one of his lovers to cause his death during sex.
• Yanbai reminded Tobirama that Itama had settled the turmoil after Kawarama’s death and that the family had not opposed Itama marrying Kawarama’s widow.
• Tobirama apologized, and Yanbai told him that Kawarama’s death was not his fault.

Yanbai explained that Itama had pursued the Hokage Position by taking over the alliances and influence Kawarama had built, and Tobirama realized Itama might oppose resurrecting Kawarama. Tobirama saw that resurrection could not be made public while Itama remained alive, then learned Yanbai had already acted.

• Yanbai told Tobirama that Itama had married into Kawarama’s political support and benefited from the relationships Kawarama had cultivated.
• Tobirama recalled how Itama had taken charge of Kawarama’s household and earned respect while hiding his ambition.
• Yanbai asked whether Tobirama would resurrect Kawarama and warned that Itama might destroy the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu to prevent it.
• Tobirama realized that Itama could use the Hokage’s access to the Scroll of Seals to act against the jutsu and concluded Hashirama could not appear publicly while Itama lived.
• Tobirama asked what they should do, and Yanbai said he had already taken care of it.

Itama Senju realized the vengeful spirit in his dream was Yanbai, his long-sleeping younger sister, and confronted her over Kawarama’s death. He denied killing Kawarama but admitted that his casual remark had inspired the woman who did, leaving Yanbai silently watching him.

• Itama Senju faced a ghost resembling Kawarama and realized that Madara’s recent actions had preceded the recurring dreams.
• Itama Senju recognized the dream intruder as his lonely younger sister, Yanbai, and followed the mist to a mansion.
• Itama Senju told Yanbai that he had not killed Kawarama, while Yanbai repeatedly brought up Kawarama’s name.
• Itama Senju admitted that he had mentioned sudden death during sex to a woman who then used it on Kawarama, and Yanbai stared at him in silence.

Yanbai rejected Itama Senju’s defense of his actions and accused him of causing Kawarama’s death for his own gain. Madara Uchiha suddenly appeared in the dream world and grabbed Itama by the throat, but Itama believed Madara was only an illusion.

• Yanbai recalled how Itama had manipulated Kawarama’s wives and concluded that Itama had helped bring about Kawarama’s death.
• Itama defended marrying Kawarama’s wives and claimed his actions had protected the Senju Clan and Konoha.
• Yanbai challenged Itama’s excuses and accused him of killing Kawarama, taking his wives, and mistreating his children.
• Madara Uchiha appeared between Yanbai and Itama, seized Itama by the throat, and lifted him off the ground.
• Itama remained calm because he believed Madara was an image conjured by Yanbai in the Dream World.

Yanbai reunited with Madara Uchiha in the dreamscape and explained that Itama Senju would remain trapped there as punishment. Madara revealed that Yanbai’s blood had awakened his Rinnegan, and Yanbai asked whether he had become a revenant after fulfilling his agreement with Old Grandmother.

• Madara Uchiha used his Sharingan to trap Itama Senju in a dream within a dream.
• Yanbai transformed the dreamscape into his childhood courtyard, where he and Madara Uchiha reunited after years apart.
• Yanbai told Madara Uchiha that Itama Senju would remain unconscious in the outside world and trapped with Senju Kawarama in the dreamscape.
• Yanbai said Tobirama Senju had summoned Kima to replace Itama Senju as Clan Leader of the Senju Clan.
• Madara Uchiha said Yanbai’s blood had awakened his Rinnegan and complained that he had been unable to die despite seeking death across the Four Countries.
• Yanbai asked Madara Uchiha whether he was a revenant after fulfilling his agreement with Old Grandmother.

Yanbai realized Madara Uchiha had somehow fulfilled his agreement with Old Grandmother, possibly with Black Zetsu’s help, and worried that the two were plotting something. When Yanbai said he might use the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to resurrect the dead, Madara begged him not to, and Yanbai promised he would not use it.

• Madara Uchiha said Zetsu had helped him fulfill his agreement with Old Grandmother, but refused to explain how.
• Yanbai reasoned that Black Zetsu might have taken Madara out of the virtual Shinobi World to make the world recognize him as dead, and grew suspicious of their plans.
• Madara Uchiha watched Yanbai and felt that he had no place in Yanbai’s heart, while considering Black Zetsu’s proposal.
• Yanbai said he might use the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to resurrect the dead, despite its cost to the caster.
• Madara Uchiha said he did not want to lose Yanbai again, and Yanbai promised not to use the technique.

Yanbai and Madara Uchiha chose to remain hidden together in the Princess Mausoleum, postponing Hashirama Senju’s revival while settling into secluded life. After the First Shinobi World War finally ended, Konoha elected Uchiha Akira as its Fourth Hokage, leaving Yanbai wondering whether the Uchiha Clan would face another rebellion.

• Yanbai agreed not to use the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique on Madara Uchiha, and they decided not to revive Hashirama Senju yet.
• Yanbai and Madara Uchiha chose to stay in the Princess Mausoleum and pretend to be dead, while Yanbai removed or destroyed Tobirama Senju’s Flying Thunder God Marks to keep him from appearing inside unexpectedly.
• Yanbai renovated the mausoleum, raised new animals to bring news from outside, and shared his secluded life with Madara Uchiha and frequent visitor Cherry Ink.
• After the Four Great Nations were weakened, Amegakure and Takigakure tried and failed to challenge Kumogakure and Iwagakure, bringing the First Shinobi World War to a close.
• Tobirama Senju stepped down as Hokage, and Uchiha Akira was elected Fourth Hokage; Yanbai worried the Uchiha Clan might eventually be wiped out over a rebellion.

Yanbai kept his life with Madara hidden while guiding Tobirama’s work and helping Madara study, as Cherry Ink plotted to escape Madara with Yanbai. Konoha and the other lands continued developing, and Tsunade gained a baby uncle and a little brother.

• Yanbai kept Tobirama from moving in with him by claiming he was cultivating immortality, then gave him urban development plans that kept him busy building up Konoha.
• Cherry Ink warned Yanbai about Madara’s demanding nature and urged him to leave Madara and take Cherry Ink along.
• Yanbai comforted Cherry Ink and considered the risks of a relationship with Madara while Madara asked him for help understanding his studies.
• Konoha’s economy and population grew, and the other four villages cooperated with Konoha to address their own hardships.
• Several months later, Hashirama Senju’s posthumous son, Takekama, and Kima’s son, Nawaki, were born, making Tsunade an older sister and an aunt.

Yanbai saw Konoha’s tailed beasts living peacefully among the villagers while the other nations remained too weak to challenge Konoha. Two Kumogakure shinobi disguised as civilians arrived to investigate Princess Senju’s tomb as part of their scheme to steal nobles’ ancestral ashes for ransom.

• Yanbai observed that Konoha’s military strength and Madara Uchiha’s rumored survival deterred the other nations from starting another war.
• Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu, the Four-Tails, Kokuō, the Six-Tails, the Seven-Tails, the Eight-Tails, and Kurama spent their days among Konoha’s people, and Yanbai let them carry on.
• Time passed to the second winter after the ceasefire in the First Shinobi World War, when snow covered the Memorial Stone and Princess Senju’s mausoleum.
• Two Kumogakure shinobi disguised as civilians emerged from the snow and discussed their mission near the Memorial Stone.
• The Kumogakure shinobi planned to investigate Princess Senju’s tomb while posing as visitors to Konoha’s reopened hot spring baths.

Yanbai lured Kumogakure grave robbers to his mausoleum so they could become sacrifices for Impure World Reincarnation, and Madara stopped two intruders who escaped his thorn cage. The chapter explained how Yanbai, Tobirama, and Madara planned to obtain sacrifices while avoiding trouble for Konoha.

• Two Kumogakure shinobi entered the mountain behind Konoha's Memorial Stone and were trapped in Yanbai's thorn cage.
• The shinobi broke through the cage with Lightning Release, but Madara Uchiha struck them down and subdued them with his Sharingan.
• Madara questioned Yanbai about spreading rumors of his mausoleum, and Yanbai admitted he had lured grave robbers there as sacrifices.
• Tobirama Senju had moved into Yanbai's mausoleum with Hashirama's youngest son and brought experimental records to discuss reviving Hashirama.
• Yanbai, Tobirama, and Madara avoided abducting people directly by helping Kumogakure shinobi profit from grave robbing, then spreading rumors about Yanbai's lavish tomb.

Yanbai told Tobirama Senju about the students he had taken in another course of fate, prompting Tobirama and Madara Uchiha to reveal how those students were connected to Tobirama’s brothers. Tobirama then reported that he had found Orochimaru and had already spoken with the boy’s parents about becoming his student.

• Tobirama Senju used the two captives as sacrifices to summon several older-generation powerhouses, then sealed them in coffins.
• Tobirama Senju told Yanbai that Uchiha Akira had agreed not to change Hokage eligibility laws during his five-year term.
• Yanbai described Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō to Tobirama, who learned from Madara Uchiha that they were students of Senju Kawarama and Itama Senju.
• Yanbai reflected that Konoha might eventually return to its original course of fate unless he continued controlling its development, but Tobirama urged him to let others handle things.
• Tobirama Senju gave Yanbai information about Orochimaru and said he had spoken with the boy’s parents about making Orochimaru his student.

Tobirama Senju brought young Orochimaru to the Princess Mausoleum and introduced him to Madara Uchiha and Yanbai, who would help raise him. Tobirama asked Yanbai to take charge of Orochimaru’s education, leaving the request unresolved.

• Tobirama Senju took Orochimaru from his parents and led him through a hidden forest to the Princess Mausoleum.
• Tobirama Senju changed Orochimaru into prepared clothes and guided him through the mausoleum to meet Madara Uchiha and Yanbai.
• Madara Uchiha’s intimidating manner frightened Orochimaru, and Yanbai reassured Madara that the child was merely shy around strangers.
• Yanbai questioned whether Tobirama Senju truly wanted him to raise Orochimaru, and Tobirama asked for his help with the child’s education.