Chapter Summaries

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.

Yanbai agreed to take young Orochimaru under his care and began easing his fears with a gentle conversation. As Tobirama Senju and Madara Uchiha discussed Madara’s relationship with Yanbai outside, Yanbai asked Orochimaru what wish he wanted to fulfill.

• Yanbai agreed to Tobirama Senju’s request to take charge of five-year-old Orochimaru.
• Yanbai calmed Orochimaru by holding his hand and discussing what a bright future meant.
• Madara Uchiha realized Yanbai seemed to treat him like a son, and Tobirama Senju took him outside to talk.
• Tobirama Senju told Madara Uchiha to treasure his time with Yanbai, since Madara did not know how to comfort him.
• Yanbai stroked Orochimaru’s head and asked what wish he wanted to fulfill.

Yanbai asked Orochimaru for a favor and used his red eyes to alter the child’s perception. Outside the mausoleum, Madara rejected Tobirama’s advice about courting Yanbai, while Orochimaru ended the chapter calmly agreeing to help soothe someone.

• Orochimaru looked up at Yanbai, then watched a messenger mouse deliver a message and accept a cookie from him.
• Yanbai asked Orochimaru for a small favor, and his red eyes changed as Orochimaru’s surroundings shifted.
• Tobirama lectured Madara about sweet-talking Yanbai, but Madara pointed out that Yanbai had told him to be himself.
• Madara entered the mausoleum, and Tobirama followed him inside.
• Orochimaru prepared tea for Yanbai and said he understood everything and would help soothe him.

Yanbai used his Dōjutsu to give Orochimaru decades of education and a simulated family life with himself and Madara, leaving Madara furious and Tobirama bewildered. Orochimaru began explaining what happened, revealing that Yanbai believed he needed parental love before he could study.

• Yanbai pulled Madara and Orochimaru into his Dōjutsu Space while Tobirama stayed outside and counted the elapsed seconds.
• After more than sixty years inside the illusion, Orochimaru awakened, and Madara attacked him before Yanbai intervened and took Madara back into the Dōjutsu Space.
• Tobirama used the Flying Thunder God Technique to take Orochimaru to his room, where Orochimaru revealed that he had promised Mother to explain what happened.
• Orochimaru explained that Yanbai had taken him to an illusory modern world and given him ten years of life in a single-parent family, since he needed parental love before he could study.

Yanbai’s genjutsu simulations gave Orochimaru and Madara Uchiha decades of knowledge and a volatile father-son rivalry, ending only when Orochimaru built a nuclear reactor to take Madara down with him. After they returned, Tobirama Senju realized Orochimaru’s lawbreaking came from his nature, and remained uneasy despite Orochimaru promising to behave in the Shinobi World.

• Yanbai sealed Orochimaru’s early memories and raised him through a realistic ten-year illusion, then revealed the truth when Orochimaru was fifteen and began a second simulation with Madara Uchiha.
• Orochimaru and Madara Uchiha lived as ordinary father and son, but Orochimaru’s thirst for knowledge led him to break the simulation’s laws and clash with Madara.
• Madara Uchiha and Orochimaru repeatedly sent each other to prison, escaped, and fought using their intelligence and physical strength, while Yanbai watched and tried to ease their tensions.
• The pair spent decades learning skills and hunting each other until Orochimaru built a nuclear reactor in the Private Room, prompting Yanbai to expel them from the Dōjutsu Space.
• Tobirama Senju understood why Madara Uchiha had attacked Orochimaru upon waking, and Orochimaru assured his teacher he would restrain himself and not attack anyone from their country.

Orochimaru asked Tobirama Senju to teach him chakra cultivation, but Tobirama kept him from leaving while Madara Uchiha recovered from Yanbai’s dōjutsu. Madara worried about Orochimaru’s effect on Tobirama, while Yanbai expected the frustrations of the Shinobi World to push Orochimaru into action.

• Orochimaru asked Tobirama Senju how to cultivate chakra, and Tobirama warned him to wait until Yanbai had calmed Madara Uchiha.
• Tobirama refused to let Orochimaru leave or reveal where their home was, fearing Orochimaru’s knowledge of dangerous substances could cause trouble.
• Orochimaru reflected on how the decades in Yanbai’s dōjutsu had made Yanbai and Madara his true parents and left him eager to learn about the Shinobi World.
• Yanbai released Madara from the dōjutsu, and Madara immediately asked where his unfilial son had gone.
• Yanbai reassured Madara that the dōjutsu world had been unreal and predicted that Orochimaru would soon break down over life without modern technology.